October 6, 2023

Are the days of landmark corporate headquarters over?

by Mark Eltringham • Comment, Workplace design

There’s something in the idea that the creation of a bespoke, landmark corporate headquarters is a sign that something has gone wrong – or is about to – for the firm behind it. I’d first developed or come across this idea when visiting British Airway’s Waterside building in the late 1990s. At the time it was arguably the most talked about office building in the world, lauded for its inbuilt urban landscape, mix of settings and humane, biophilic design features. More →

October 6, 2023

Amsterdam gears up for Workspace Design Show next week

by Freddie Steele • Company news

The Workspace Design Show, an event dedicated to the future of workspaces, is taking place for the first time in less than a week from Wednesday 11 October to Thursday 12 October 2023, at the RAI Amsterdam. The event already has a successful London show. This two-day event promises to bring together industry leaders, experts, and innovators to explore the latest trends, insights, and strategies in workplace design and management. Here is a deep dive into the agenda that will be explored in detail at the conference stages next week. All of the panel discussions are free-to-attend; register here for a complimentary visitor pass. More →

October 5, 2023

ORGATEC reinvents itself for the new future of work

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Workplace design

ORGATEC, the leading international trade fair for the future of work will return in 2024 with a new event concept that is designed to meet the evolving requirements of the world of work and is positioned even closer to the cutting edge. With a shorter duration, a new hall layout, highlight topics and digital innovations, ORGATEC will offer exhibitors and visitors a topic-centred, event-oriented and efficient trade fair experience. More →

October 4, 2023

BCO Awards dominated by South East offices yet again but Glasgow office takes top spot

by Neil Franklin • News, Property, Workplace design

Barclays’ Glasgow campus (pictured) was celebrated as the Best of the Best at the British Council for Offices (BCO) National Awards last night, also taking home the prize for Corporate Workplace. Seven further winners of BCO Awards were recognised as leading examples of excellence in workplace design in the UK. There were no winners in any category in the Midlands or North of England, Northern Ireland or Wales, although two offices in Manchester and Widnes were commended and the President’s Award went to HMRC for its ongoing national estate management programme. More →

October 4, 2023

Over a quarter of women think menopause has had a negative impact on their career

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing, Workplace

Over a quarter of women (27 percent) aged 40-60 in the UK, who are currently in employment and have experienced menopause symptoms – an estimated 1.2 million – say that menopause has had a negative impact on their career progression, according to new research from the CIPD. In addition, 36 percent of women with a disability or long-term health condition say their symptoms have had a negative impact on their career progression, compared with 24 percent who don’t have one. More →

October 3, 2023

Workers are generally happy at work, but bored by what they do

by Jayne Smith • Business, News

Happiness and boredom are the most common emotions experienced by people at work, according to a Right Management survey of more than 2,000 British workers and managers. According to the poll, ‘Gen Z’ are most likely to be bored at work (23 percent). But Gen Z leaders worry more than others about reduced employee productivity due to hybrid-working (37 percent). In addition, 70 percent of British employees feel they work better as a team in-person, but only 1 percent claim face-to-face time with colleagues contributes to their wellbeing. More →

October 3, 2023

CIBSE publishes revised maintenance guide

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Facilities management

A new fully revised edition of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) Guide M: Maintenance, Engineering and Management sets out the latest technological and legislative developments that will impact facilities managers, designers, building owners and operators, otherwise known as the ‘maintenance bible’. Containing all the information needed for the successful operation of a buildings’ services, while ensuring buildings are safe and optimised for energy performance, this revision has been published to provide guidance on the many areas of change since Guide M was last amended in 2014, including publication of the Building Safety Act and amendments to the Building Regulations. More →

September 27, 2023

Act now on retrofitting if you want to boost commercial property values, new report argues

by Neil Franklin • News, Property

For European real estate owners and investors already on a journey to net-zero-carbon through retrofitting, upfront spending has the potential for long-term rent and capital-value accumulation, according to a new report from Colliers. Europe’s Renovation Wave [registration] explores the regulatory and societal pressures the authors claim is now driving an era of accelerated asset renovation, and the proactive actions investors, owners and occupiers can take to make sure their assets are not ‘left behind and stranded’ in the race to decarbonise the built environment by 2050. Retrofitting is also the subject of a special supplement published in the new issue of IN Magazine. More →

September 25, 2023

Report links economic growth with the idea of ‘good work’

by Jayne Smith • News, Wellbeing, Workplace

In advance of the main party conferences, the CIPD is calling for the next UK Government to develop a long-term workforce strategy to underpin a broader, bolder vision for economic growth. This is a central message in its new ‘Manifesto for Good Work’ which outlines the public policy changes needed to address the UK’s multiple challenges, for all the main UK political parties. These challenges include stagnating productivity, rising skills shortages and our ageing working population. More →

September 11, 2023

Is the workplace experience shaped more by maintenance or by design?

by Andrew Brown • Facilities management, Features, Workplace design

What has resilience got to do with the workplace experience? It is a word that has been used a lot recently as the great British public has demonstrated massive amounts of resilience in coping with Covid-19, fuel shortages, worries about food availability and a massive shift in how we work. So what is it? The dictionary gives two meanings: firstly the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties, i.e. toughness. And then secondly, the ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape; elasticity – like nylon for example. More →

September 8, 2023

HLW launches brand experience team – brandx

by Freddie Steele • Company news

brandx, a global team shaping the standard for innovative wayfinding strategies, signage systems, and brand experiences, is pleased to announce its official launch as a specialty partner of international architecture and design firm HLW. In a world where individuals are exposed to thousands of visual messages every day, brandx cuts through the clutter by creating intuitive connections that redefine how users safely and efficiently interact with brands, as well as their physical surroundings. More →

September 7, 2023

How to rebuild social connection for high-performance hybrid work: a deep-dive for workplace innovators

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Events

Social connection is often cited as a justification for return-to-office mandates, many of which are not well received by employees. This suggests that merely spending time in the office isn’t enough to spark the connection that gets ideas flowing, ramps up performance and creates a cohesive culture. So, if physical presence alone isn’t enough to rebuild connection, what is? Workplace innovators exploring the issues around hybrid work now have the opportunity to dig deep and find out.

Tune into HubStar’s upcoming webinar on Thursday September 19th at 4 PM BST for an exploration of the approaches, strategies and tools necessary to rebuild social connection in complex hybrid workplaces.

Workplace innovators are facing the greatest opportunity of our generation to positively disrupt the way we work, but as Einstein said, we can’t solve problems with the same kind of thinking we used to create them.

So what kind of thinking is required to ignite the magic of meaningful connection at work? How do we stop hybrid work strategies from stalling? And, which tools and approaches can help us manage the complexity inherent in new ways of working?

In this 30 minute webinar, you’ll discover:

Key trends impacting people, hybrid workplaces and organisational performance in 2023 and beyond
A step-by-step framework for overcoming remote working inertia and rebuilding social connection in the office
Dynamic Workplace Management: a new framework for positive change across 3 dimensions: people, profit and planet

The webinar will include a live Q&A with the speaker, Jane Young and the VP Product at HubStar, Chris L’Hommedieu.

HubStar is a global company with operations in the US, UK, Europe and APAC. The company provides a next-generation dynamic workplace management platform to drive productivity, collaboration and workplace experience while reducing real estate costs. HubStar helps thousands of teams in over 60 countries create dynamic workplaces. For more information visit hubstar.com