Search Results for: london

May 20, 2015

Collaborative work is the driving force behind the desk rental boom

by Peter Ames • Comment, Flexible working, Property

In the wake of the Smarter Working West Midlands project, which encouraged SMEs to try co-working for free, it is increasingly apparent the nation’s small businesses are prepared to embrace alternative office space options. Both serviced offices and desk-rental can offer the flexibility a long-term office lease often cannot because they involve rental agreements that may work monthly or quarterly, while a traditional lease will generally require a commitment of several years. Desk rental also offers a chance of skill-sharing, collaborative work and networking. In fact this was the key benefit for many businesses participating in Smarter Working West Midlands. For startups the ability to expand, contract or even relocate office can be invaluable. It’s this flexibility which allows them to mould a space to their brand and make the office feel like a true home.

May 12, 2015

Commuting costs the UK £148 billion annually, claims new report

by Mark Eltringham • Flexible working, News, Workplace

In spite of the growth of flexible working in the UK, commuting to an office each day costs British workers and the national economy some £148 billion annually. That is the key finding of a new report from recruitment firm Randstad. The study claims that an average commute for staff in the UK covers around 22 miles, taking around 43 minutes. The report claims that the time spent commuting continues to increase as people move further away from their main place of work, especially in the South East and North West of England. London workers – unsurprisingly – spend more than anybody else on commuting. There are also major differences across sectors with the workers in financial services, accountancy and IT industries subject to the most costly commutes.

May 11, 2015

Does declining productivity spell the end for IT and property directors?

by John Blackwell • Comment, Facilities management, Property, Technology, Work&Place

When it comes to increasing organisational output, which in turn directly relates to real wage growth and higher living standards, the only determinant is productivity, measured in terms of output per hour worked. This is at the heart of all businesses and is essential for growth. The basic facts on productivity are clear. For over a decade, productivity has been painfully weak across all the major economies. The UK has performed particularly badly, with productivity having declined by 3.7 percent since 2008. A recent OECD report went as far as saying: “weak labour productivity since 2004 has been holding back real wages and well-being. The sustainability of economic expansion and further progress in living standards rest on boosting productivity growth, which is a key challenge for the coming years”.

May 8, 2015

The world’s enduring addiction to the joy and misery of commuting

by Mark Eltringham • Comment, Flexible working, Work&Place, Workplace

Commuting is one of the most complained about yet least explored facets of our working lives. This is in spite of the fact that it consumes so much of people’s time, energy and money, is presented as one of the main arguments for more flexible working practices and is so closely linked to our wellbeing. Yet the half a billion – and growing – commuters worldwide could be forgiven for assuming nobody is really that much interested in the effects of their daily grind into work, especially when you consider the attention given to other workplace issues. Douglas Langmead in his feature on page 32 of the new issue of Work&Place does his bit to redress this imbalance with a fascinating look at commuting in the rapidly developing and endlessly fascinating economies of the United Arab Emirates.

May 7, 2015

Learning needs to be linked to overall business strategies says the CIPD

by Sara Bean • News, Technology, Workplace

The CIPD has warned that Learning and Development (L&D) professionals need to link learning more directly to their organisation’s business strategies. This follows the results of its annual L&D survey which found that by limiting their focus to learner and manager feedback, just 7 per cent of L&D professionals evaluate the impact of their initiatives on the business. This lack of evaluation can contribute to skills gaps being undetected, particularly in the use of new learning technologies such as Gamification. The CIPD is urging L&D professionals to look beyond trainee satisfaction and measure initiatives in terms of how they add value to the organisation and society in general. This latest research follows the publication of a report by Skillsoft last week which revealed that 55 per cent of employers admitted they were more likely to recruit externally to address skills shortages.

May 6, 2015

TfL to occupy first commercial property at International Quarter

by Sara Bean • Architecture, Company news, News, Property

Construction is to begin this summer on the first of a number of office buildings planned for the second stage of the International Quarter, a £2.1 billion mixed-use development in Stratford in East London. Transport for London (TfL) has signed a pre-let with Lend Lease and London and Continental Railways (LCR) to occupy all of the space in the 265,000 sq ft commercial property. An estimated 3,000 TfL workers will relocate to the International Quarter’s new offices and, once completed, an estimated 25,000 people will work at and visit the site each day. The developers claim they are in discussions with other tenants about moving to The International Quarter – which, at a total of four million square feet, will be one of the largest new commercial property developments in the capital.

May 5, 2015

UK digital infrastructure struggling to keep pace with demand

by Mark Eltringham • Flexible working, News, Technology

The UK is struggling to create the digital infrastructure it needs to keep up with burgeoning employment and investment levels in new technology. A new study from IT recruitment firm Experis claims there has been an 18 per cent increase in the number of permanent job roles in the IT sector advertised across the UK in the first quarter of 2015. Meanwhile, a report from Santander’s commercial business division claims that the UK’s SMEs are planning to invest £53bn in digital business over the next two years. All of this should be good news except for the fact that digital experts are warning that the UK is about to hit the digital buffers over the next two decades, according to experts who will present their findings to the Royal Society next week.

April 29, 2015

RICS reports surge in investment and demand for commercial property ⁰

by Sara Bean • Facilities management, News, Property

Demand for commercial property in the UK is growing close to its fastest pace since 1998. The latest RICS UK commercial market survey shows that there was a surge in investment and tenant demand in the first quarter of this year, which suggests stronger economic growth over the remainder of 2015. The UK had its 10th consecutive quarterly acceleration of demand, with 46 percent of respondents reporting greater interest. However, the availability of commercial property declined, with 38 percent of RICS’ surveyors seeing fewer properties on the market, the impact of which is higher rents. This is particularly apparent across the industrial and office sectors. Looking ahead, respondents expect the office sector to perform most strongly; with London leading the way, despite some concerns over the valuation of prime property in the capital.

April 28, 2015

Why it’s time for more companies to roll the dice for gamification ⁰

by Maciej Markowski • Case studies, Comment, Workplace

As was reported recently, gamification remains practically unknown to many managers yet companies like Nike, Microsoft, Samsung and eBay are beginning to see it as a useful tool. Generally adopted by marketing and sales professionals, gamification can also influence behaviour, increase productivity and improve wellbeing. Gamification is all around us, even if we don’t always notice it. It’s used in sales competitions, frequent flyer programmes and marketing initiatives. So what is gamification? In short it’s the concept of applying game mechanics and game design techniques in order to engage and motivate people to achieve their goals. It’s about turning something potentially mundane into a game – similar to many ingenious mothers who might turn cleaning a room or washing dishes into a game for their children.

April 25, 2015

The latest issue of Insight Weekly is available to view online ⁰

by Sara Bean • Architecture, Facilities management, Newsletter, Workplace, Workplace design

In this week’s issue; the ten most sustainable buildings in North America; Mark Eltringham examines the ways different countries approach ergonomics. Steve Taylor looks at the evidence for doing less sitting and more standing at work, while a new report from the Work Foundation sets out the challenges facing the next UK government to improve the health of the country’s workforce. In news; Facebook almost doubles the size of its London HQ, the adoption of flexible working by UK organisations increases by over a third and new data shows that the UK office market is growing as employers strive to create environments designed to enhance staff wellbeing. Sign up to the newsletter via the subscription form in the right hand sidebar and follow us on Twitter and join our LinkedIn Group to discuss these and other stories.

April 24, 2015

Half of people say flexible work is a key consideration when changing jobs ⁰

by Sara Bean • Flexible working, News, Workplace

The days when staff would commit to a business for life and be chained to a desk for upwards of 10 hours per day are long gone, as today’s employees increasingly seek flexible work. According to a survey of over 1,000 UK workers by PageGroup, 26 percent of people would cite flexible working as the most important consideration for their next job, compared to 18 percent who cited it as a primary consideration in their current role. Across all age categories, respondents are more motivated by the opportunity to work flexibly than they were at the start of their career, with 57 percent of respondents highlighting this as a key motivator. Forward-thinking organisations, particularly the media and tech start-ups typified by those based at London’s Silicon Roundabout, are now high on the wish list for candidates.

April 21, 2015

Workplace Week to increase office tours as part of plan to double money raised ⁰

by Sara Bean • Events, Facilities management, News, Workplace design

Plans have been unveiled to double the amount of money raised for BBC Children in Need at this year’s Workplace Week, the week-long showcase of workplace innovation. Last year’s event, which saw more than 100 people attend the workplace tours, day-long convention and fringe events, raised over £13,000. Andrew Mawson, MD of workplace consultancy AWA, and the brains behind the venture, which is now in its sixth year, has set a target of £25,000. To achieve this aim, the number of workplace tours will be doubled, which this year shall include PWC, [pictured] Mintel and the Guardian. Capacity will be increased at the convention, with a small number of paid-for exhibitors and programme advertising allowed. Organisations from the built environment will be encouraged to arrange relevant Fringe events – breakfast or lunchtime seminars, or evening sessions to take place during the week – for which they’ll pay a small donation.