Search Results for: innovation

A brief history of the future of work

A brief history of the future of work

The future of work has always existed but never arrives. It is best seen as a way of thinking about current and emerging issues The past few years and our current predicaments should serves as a reminder of that tragic, unchangeable feature of the human condition, best expressed by Kierkegaard, that we are doomed to live our lives forwards but only understand them backwards. Retrospect is particularly important when we look back on sudden, large changes that knock us off our normal path. It’s important to remember this as we continue to grapple with the nature of the present and future of work in the wake of the pandemic. More →

Make my day, punk. With Will Easton

Make my day, punk. With Will Easton

Will Easton joins me for a chat over a drink on the Workplace Cocktail Hour podcast. We discuss many things including: the scope of facilities and workplace management and why it offers so many career opportunities for people; punk approaches to work; what presence means and why it can be found in mosh pits as well as when touching grass; the emerging role of UX in designing offices; and why you should take the claims of iconic office designs with a pinch of salt. We even come up with an edgy but surprising playlist in the course of the conversation, which you can find below. More →

More content! New themes! New font! Same old team! It’s all there for you in this issue of Works magazine

More content! New themes! New font! Same old team! It’s all there for you in this issue of Works magazine

 

The digital issue of Works magazine is now available for you here. And it's bigger, and dare we say better, than ever.

The digital edition of the new Works magazine is now available for you here. And it’s bigger, and dare we say better, than ever. In this issue: we look back on Milan Design Week and forward to Clerkenwell Design Week; there are no fewer than four projects highlighting the latest design trends and thinking; we present the award winners from the Sustainable Design Collective; explore how biophilia shouldn’t just be about a plant in the office and a picture of field on the wall; set out the most important office trends; consider the always thorny issue of office acoustics and distraction, and showcase a new generation of products that help to address it; catch up for a drink with our friends at Modus; pay tribute to the great Gaetano Pesce; and there’s all the news, launches and projects you need.

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Electric arc furnaces could turn old concrete into zero-carbon cement

Electric arc furnaces could turn old concrete into zero-carbon cement

commercial propertyConcrete and steel production are major contributors to global CO2 emissions, but a new technology from Cambridge University offers a promising solution: recycling both materials simultaneously. This innovative process involves using old concrete in steel-processing furnaces to not only purify iron but also generate “reactivated cement” as a by-product. When powered by renewable energy sources, this method has the potential to produce entirely carbon-neutral cement, according to the research published in the journal Nature.

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‘The Big Stay’ – it’s time to invest in employees, not to cut costs 

‘The Big Stay’ – it’s time to invest in employees, not to cut costs 

The Great Resignation is over. That’s according to the latest Labour Market Outlook report from the CIPD, as reported by Workplace Insight. But we could have told you this was simply a post-Covid correction in any case. Data from the report shows 55 percent  of employers are looking to maintain their current headcount, while analysis of turnover from the ONS Labour Force Survey points to lower staff attrition in 2024. Declining staff turnover is being dubbed The Big Stay. More →

Generative AI could help UK workers save 19 million hours a week by 2026

Generative AI could help UK workers save 19 million hours a week by 2026

New research from Pearson claims to show the potential of Generative AI to boost workplace productivity by helping UK workers to save '19 million hours a week'New research from Pearson claims to show the potential of Generative AI to boost workplace productivity by helping UK workers to save ’19 million hours a week’ on routine and repetitive tasks. More →

People less likely to evaluate peers negatively if facing evaluation themselves

People less likely to evaluate peers negatively if facing evaluation themselves

New research from ESMT Berlin finds that individuals strategically select the colleagues they evaluate, and the evaluation they give, based on how they want to be perceivedNew research from ESMT Berlin finds that individuals strategically select the colleagues they evaluate, and the evaluation they give, based on how they want to be perceived. Linus Dahlander, professor of strategy and Lufthansa Group Chair of Innovation at ESMT Berlin, alongside colleagues from Purdue University and INSEAD, investigated the impact of how people evaluate peers based on the behaviours of Wikipedia members, for which peer evaluations are transparent. More →

The Furniture Makers’ Company announces Design Guild Mark 2024 holders

The Furniture Makers’ Company announces Design Guild Mark 2024 holders

Innovation of materials, creativity and sustainability are at the forefront of British design as 16 outstanding submissions, from three categories, are awarded the coveted Design Guild Mark in 2024, with three receiving the additional accolade the Jonathan Hindle Prize. The Design Guild Mark is a non-profit award programme that was established in 2008 by The Furniture Makers’ Company to raise the profile of British industrial design and to recognise excellence in this discipline. Over time the Mark has grown from just Furniture to include categories for Interior Design Elements, and Lighting. More →

International report calls for collaboration on AI, highlighting both benefits and risks

International report calls for collaboration on AI, highlighting both benefits and risks

A landmark report claims to shed light on the double-edged sword of advanced artificial intelligence (AI)A landmark report claims to shed light on the double-edged sword of advanced artificial intelligence. Backed by over 30 nations, the International Scientific Report on the Safety of Advanced AI paints a picture of a technology brimming with potential benefits, but also fraught with potential risks if safety isn’t prioritized. This first iteration of the report, launched at the AI Safety Summit, fulfils a key commitment set forth during the historic Bletchley Park discussions and the subsequent Bletchley Declaration. More →

Third of businesses investing in GenAI, but employees increasingly concerned about redundancy

Third of businesses investing in GenAI, but employees increasingly concerned about redundancy

UK firms are bullish about the use of GenAI but their employees are not so certain, according to a new pollOver a third of UK employers are bullish about AI investment despite serious workforce uncertainty. New research shows that 35.3 percent of employers are actively investing in GenAI while 40.4 percent plan to increase their use of the technology, to support the workplace, according to a new poll from SD Worx. The findings suggest there is a surprisingly buoyant business outlook for AI adoption at a time when the UK government begins to craft new legislation to regulate AI. The move on regulation comes as the competition watchdog expresses increased concerns about the industry. However, despite businesses betting big on AI investment, similar enthusiasm isn’t shared by employees, with 30 percent of UK workers fearing their roles will be made redundant as a result of GenAi. More →

Government announces new digital hub for Manchester

Government announces new digital hub for Manchester

Manchester is poised to become a major player in the digital government landscape following a significant land deal announced this week. The Government Property Agency (GPA) has exchanged contracts with Manchester City Council (MCC) to acquire five acres of the former Central Retail Park in Ancoats, paving the way for the construction of the Manchester Digital Campus. More →

Inclusivity, sustainability and user-centric design dominate BCO South West Regional Awards

Inclusivity, sustainability and user-centric design dominate BCO South West Regional Awards

What are claimed to be the South West of England’s and South Wales’s most outstanding workplaces have been announced, with British Council for Offices Awards going to six office buildings across the region. Held at The Coal Exchange Hotel, the BCO’s annual South of England and South Wales Awards Dinner celebrated the high-calibre of the region’s offices in terms of design, fit-out operation and sustainability. More →