Search Results for: management

October 24, 2016

How and why employee fitness became part of the corporate agenda ⁰

by Michael Page • Comment, Wellbeing, Workplace design

As the national obesity crisis worsens and a regular flow of statistics inform us that we’re a nation in trouble, with no demographic escaping the threat, we seem to have become obsessed with how fit or unfit we are. This is reflected in our growing interest in how many calories we consume and how much exercise we manage – right down to how many steps we take a day. No surprise then that this interest has started to manifest itself in the workplace where employee fitness appears to be an issue addressed in the boardroom. Last year, research carried out by The Workforce Institute at Kronos revealed that almost 75 per cent of workers (a total of 9,000 were questioned) believe that wearable technology, designed to capture vast amounts of biometric data and manage health risks, could lead to increased efficiency and productivity in the workplace. Measuring levels of physical activity is but a small part of the obsession with health and well-being which has infiltrated the workplace overall. There is also physical evidence, from the desks that we sit at to issues of bicycle storage and showering facilities, that we are mindful of our health.

October 20, 2016

Built environment still creates barriers for people with a disability ⁰

by Sara Bean • Facilities management, News, Wellbeing, Workplace

A huge response to the Women and Equalities Committee’s inquiry into disability and the built environment indicates how lack of accessibility is an ongoing issue for many people. Over 150 individuals and organisations have submitted evidence to the inquiry, which aims to explore the extent to which the needs of people with a disability are considered and accommodated in the built environment, and asks whether more could be done to increase the accessibility and inclusivity of both new and existing properties and spaces. More →

October 18, 2016

The global uberification of commercial property and the workplace ⁰

by Anthony Brown • Facilities management, Features, Property, Technology, Workplace design

Technology doesn’t just transform the world, it reshapes our language. So, we all need to get used to the word uberification as well as the idea of it. Based on the success of the on demand taxi service Uber, the word refers to the way a product or service becomes available to customers on demand via the Internet. Customers book a service only at the point of consumption. This represents an entirely new commercial model and is the defining characteristic of the new 21st Century economy. Uber may have provided the tipping point, going from start up to market valuation of $66 billion in just 7 years, but its success has given us a name for a process that is reshaping businesses and customer experiences across the entire economy, including in the commercial property sector.

October 18, 2016

UK marketers suffering from tech-induced anxiety, survey claims ⁰

by Neil Franklin • News, Technology

More than half (55 percent) of marketers in the UK are struggling to cope with the accelerated pace of digital transformation – up 7 percent since 2015, Adobe’s annual Digital Roadblock study claims. The report – which surveyed 450 marketers in the UK– found that Brits suffer from more tech-induced anxiety than their peers across the region: an average of 44 percent of marketers in Europe worry about their technology-based skill sets, 11 percent lower than the UK. Of the marketers surveyed, three-quarters (74 percent) feel that they need to implement new technologies within their marketing strategies in order to succeed, but just over half (54 percent) feel that they actually have the skills to do so. When it comes to technology skills, there’s an obvious gap between demand and reality: while 41 percent of respondents cited being a ‘tech-savvy’ early adopter of new technologies as the top attribute of being a marketer, only 15 percent actually identify as ‘tech-savvy’ themselves. In fact, more UK marketers identify as ‘tech challenged’ (20 percent) than ‘tech savvy’, and the number of ‘tech-savvy’ marketers has dropped since last year, when nearly one in five (19 percent) identified as so.

October 18, 2016

Stress and overwork in the City of London remains endemic, finds research ⁰

by Sara Bean • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing, Workplace

The financial services industry has never been known as a ‘touchy-feeling’ environment, and despite efforts to raise the issue of mental ill health at work, appears resolutely resistant to cultural change. This perception is reinforced by a new piece of research which claims that rising stress in the City is driving more than two out of three investment bank staff to consider quitting their job – but employees believe talking about stress or mental health issues to management will damage their careers. In a study by MetLife among decision makers at financial institutions two out of five (40 percent) think their job is extremely stressful with 67 percent considering quitting their jobs in the next year if stress levels do not improve. However, despite the impact of stress on their work and home lives, around 70 percent believe that admitting to suffering from anxiety or mental health issues will damage their career prospects and there is a reluctance to offer staff more flexible hours to help reduce the strain.

October 18, 2016

UK large businesses are failing to create a culture of creativity and innovation ⁰

by Neil Franklin • News, Workplace

A new study claims that the UK lags behind other European countries when it comes to fostering a culture of innovation at creativity at work. Whilst 63 percent of French employees and 57 percent of Spanish employees feel empowered to lead innovation and drive change, less than half (47 percent) of employees surveyed across the UK agree. In turn, this appears to be impacting morale; just 54 percent of employees in the UK said they feel inspired in the workplace compared to 74 percent in Spain, 73 percent in France and 66 percent in Germany. As businesses strive to stay ahead of the competition, making innovative use of technology is a top priority. However, the research commissioned by BMC and conducted by Opinion Life, suggests that businesses across the UK are struggling to foster an innovative culture fast enough and failing to capitalise on the creativity of their staff.

October 18, 2016

World education programme aims to help 34,000 young people worldwide ⁰

by Mark Eltringham • Company news

Global trade enabler DP World is rolling out its Global Education Programme internationally following an English language pilot in seven countries with an aim to deliver over 100 sessions in seven additional languages by the end of 2016. Volunteers from 17 DP World locations in the UAE, India, Pakistan, Senegal, the UK, Argentina and the Philippines delivering the programme have received positive feedback from students and teachers. Over 90% of teachers in the pilot countries said that the course provided their pupils with something new their school could not have provided and 85% said they would be likely to recommend DP World as an employer to pupils. The Global Education Programme aims to engage 34,000 children between the ages of 8-14 by 2020 with DP World volunteers delivering it from across its network of 77 operating marine and inland terminals in 40 countries.

October 14, 2016

Stress levels among Gen Y workers higher than other generations ⁰

by Sara Bean • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing, Workplace

Younger workers are more affected by workplace stress than their older colleagues, with half of Generation Y UK workers (50 percent), reporting heightened levels of stress in the workplace, compared to 44 percent for generation X and 35 percent within the baby boomer generation. The Global Benefits Attitudes Survey of 1,895 employees in the UK by Willis Towers Watson suggests that the top causes of workplace stress for Millennials were inadequate staffing and low pay, which mirrored the top two causes across all generations in the survey. This is followed by a lack of work/life balance and unclear and/or conflicting job expectations, whereas for baby boomers it is company culture and excessive organisation change. The report also shows Gen Y workers are more worried about their finances than older workers, with 64 percent of younger workers reporting being worried, compared to 55 percent of generation X workers and 38 percent of baby boomers.

October 14, 2016

Digital tech, leadership and company values aid staff performance ⁰

by Sara Bean • Facilities management, Flexible working, News, Technology, Wellbeing, Workplace

Accessible leaders and strong company values are important factors that can ultimately reflect an employee’s success or failure within the company. However,so too is equipping employees with the latest technology, and it’s an area where many organisations are falling down. A study by Oracle awarded low marks when it came to companies capitalising on technology to help them connect with employees in more ways than ever to create a more modern and customised learning experience. Just 44 percent of respondents said that their employer uses the latest digital technology to enable them to effectively perform in their role. Feedback from nearly 5,000 full-time employees at organisations with 250 or more employees also revealed that only 38 percent say that their company is concerned about their overall well-being, despite the fact that employees are most comfortable and productive within a creative, yet flexible workplace culture. More →

October 12, 2016

Flexible hours key to achieving gender balance in finance sector ⁰

by Sara Bean • Flexible working, News, Workplace

Improvements in flexible working are among the key steps being taken to help achieve gender balance within the financial services sector, according to the UK Treasury. Financial services is the country’s highest paid sector but has the widest gender pay gap, at 39.5 percent, compared with 19.2 percent across the economy. The ‘Women in Finance Charter’, was set up by the Treasury earlier this year to publish progress on gender balance annually and reports that of the 72 firms who signed the charter, 60 have now committed to having at least 30 percent of women in senior roles by 2021. Alongside gender diversity targets, these firms have set out strategies for how they’ll hit these targets, including improving flexible working, making recruitment gender neutral and distributing high profile work more fairly.

October 10, 2016

Just a quarter of workers would tell employers about mental ill health ⁰

by Sara Bean • News, Wellbeing, Workplace

Almost half of UK workers (44 percent) know a colleague who has had to give up work because of stress, while more than a third of people (36 percent) say that colleagues have complained about feeling stressed to their employer, but received no support. As a result, most people (56 percent) don’t feel comfortable talking about depression or stress in the workplace. The fourth annual Employee Insight Report from Capita Employee Benefits, released to coincide with World Mental Health Day today (October 10) suggests that stigmas remain and companies should be doing more to encourage their workers to open up about mental health issues. The findings reveal that just 33 percent would feel comfortable talking to their employer if they have a mental health issue, like depression; 75 percent of respondents said they have felt stressed at work over the last 12 months but only 20 percent have taken time off work because of stress.

October 7, 2016

The American workplace is more skilled, but workers are concerned they are becoming irrelevant ⁰

by Mark Eltringham • Flexible working, News, Workplace

The ‘Tectonic changes’ that are reshaping the US workplace and the response to them are the subject of a major new research project from the Pew Center in association with the Markle Foundation. The study of over 5,000 US workers carried out over the Summer found that the nature of jobs is undergoing a fundamental shift with greater emphasis on knowledge as well as analytical, interpersonal and communication skills. In response, workers are retraining and reassessing their abilities to adapt to the demands of employers. Despite this, a growing number are worried that they are becoming irrelevant and have diminishing faith in the ability of politicians, the education system and their employers to address their concerns.