Search Results for: management

What the office of the future will really look like is the office of today

What the office of the future will really look like is the office of today

If you set aside the Jetson-y outside views, the office of the future is very like the office of the presentIt’s a banality to point out that futurism is nowism plus either a robot butler or blasted landscape. So, I was taken with a press release we had last week from Studio Alliance which shows an AI’s depiction of the office of the future at various points over the next quarter of a century. What is most striking to me, if you set aside the Jetson-y outside views, is how much like the office of the present each is. More →

Majority of firms lack the data to make ‘return to office’ decisions

Majority of firms lack the data to make ‘return to office’ decisions

80 percent of the same executives confess that they would have approached the so-called return-to-office differently, if they had access to accurate data.A new survey from Envoy, which polled over 1,100 company executives and workplace managers across five leading industries, explores how these two groups of leaders use data to make smarter, more informed decisions about their workplaces.  It suggests that the world’s leading companies are struggling to confidently report what’s happening in their workplaces. The problem is the lack of accurate, easy-to-use data. 52 percent of executives admit not being able to make a critical workplace decision because they lacked the necessary data to assess operational and real estate needs. Furthermore, 80 percent of the same executives confess that they would have approached the so-called return-to-office differently, if they had access to accurate data. More →

Lack of employee engagement continues to dog organisations around the world

Lack of employee engagement continues to dog organisations around the world

A declining share of employees said they were motivated to go above and beyond at work, or were inspired to do their best work, according to the latest employee engagement benchmark data from QualtricsA declining share of employees said they were motivated to go above and beyond at work, or were inspired to do their best work, according to the latest employee engagement benchmark data from Qualtrics. The new proprietary data – aggregated from thousands of employee engagement surveys administered in 2022 – shows symptoms of burnout and a significant drop in confidence in leaders from 2020, when the pandemic ‘upended workplaces’ around the world. The report argues that employees are willing to tell their employers that they were struggling, and if something doesn’t change, they may look for a new job. Labour productivity also reflected this drop in motivation, the report claims. More →

Connection and collaboration motivate people to work from an office

Connection and collaboration motivate people to work from an office

The key driver for employees wanting to go into the office is the need for socialisation and collaborationThe key driver for employees wanting to go into the office is the need for socialisation and collaboration, according to the latest quarterly Workplace Index from Eptura. The report claims that this is an acknowledgement of the desire to be part of a community and the potential isolation of working at home. More →

Insight confirms partnership with Material Matters for sustainable design event

Insight confirms partnership with Material Matters for sustainable design event

Here's a new project that promises to mark a significant shift in the way we think about workplaces and sustainable designWe are part of the London Design Festival for the first time this year, developing an exciting new project that promises to mark a significant shift in the way we think about workplaces and sustainable design. We have partnered with Material Matters to create a space that will showcase the latest and most innovative thinking on sustainable office design, circularity, new materials and innovation. Known as The Works Place, products and ideas will be presented in a range of working settings so that visitors can see how they might be applied in their own offices and other spaces. More →

Remote working and mental health: generational divide continues to manifest 

Remote working and mental health: generational divide continues to manifest 

A new study commissioned by Great Western Railway claims to reveal striking generational differences in attitudes towards remote working and its impact on mental healthA new study commissioned by Great Western Railway claims to reveal striking generational differences in attitudes towards remote working and its impact on mental health. The research, which explored the effects of remote working on different age groups, highlights a growing concern regarding the isolation experienced by older employees compared to their younger counterparts. More →

Best practice for maintaining an agile workforce through upskilling

Best practice for maintaining an agile workforce through upskilling

Workforces need to evolve now more than ever. A report from the World Economic Forum claims that around a quarter of jobs will shift in the next five years. Its ‘Future of Jobs Report for 2023’ notes that though an estimated 69 million new jobs will be created, another 83 million will be eliminated. A few factors contributing to creating and eliminating jobs are macro trends—such as a rise in sustainability efforts among businesses, the localisation of supply chains, high inflation, and slower economic growth. More →

One-third of hybrid working managers feel they need to prove their worth when working from home

One-third of hybrid working managers feel they need to prove their worth when working from home

Almost one-third (30 percent) of hybrid working managers feel they need to prove their worth when working from home - significantly higher than the non-management populationA poll of 3,000 workers in Europe and North America from Insights Learning & Development claims that managers of hybrid working teams see multiple benefits to a new working arrangement. These include improved team performance, improved team agility and increased ability to deliver on objectives.  However, on a personal level, many managers highlighted the need for more support. Almost one-third (30 percent) of these managers feel they need to prove their worth when working from home – significantly higher than the non-management population. More →

Office lease lengths may be decreasing but majority of firms will increase their footprint

Office lease lengths may be decreasing but majority of firms will increase their footprint

office lease lengths has fallen to the lowest on record and that vacancies rates had soared, office designers Unispace are suggesting firms should be wary of making 'rash decisions' regarding their office footprintResponding to reports from property management platform, Re-Leased, that UK office lease lengths has fallen to the lowest on record and that vacancies rates had soared, office designers Unispace are suggesting firms should be wary of making ‘rash decisions’ regarding their office footprint over the long term. A study published by the firm – Returning for Good – which surveyed 9,500 employees and 6,650 employers from 17 countries worldwide – claims that while employees in the UK spend the least amount of time in the office compared to any other country, there is an expectation that this will increase as workers face limited access to career progression opportunities while working remotely. More →

 It is possible to balance the positives and negatives of stress at work

 It is possible to balance the positives and negatives of stress at work

It’s important to know the difference between helpful and unhelpful stress and what this means for employers looking to improve workforce wellbeingStress is an inevitable part of everyday life, and our bodies are hard-wired to respond to it. However, it’s clear stress takes a regular, negative toll on organisations across the country. Last year, 17 million days were lost due to stress, depression or anxiety, which accounted for 51 percent of all work-related ill health cases and 55 percent of all working days lost due to ill health. Poor mental health costs employers between £1,205 and £1,560 per employee, per year. Some of the main causes of stress in the workplace include mounting workload pressures, increased responsibilities, and a perceived lack of support from senior management. More →

‘People insight deficit’ puts firms’ reputations at risk

‘People insight deficit’ puts firms’ reputations at risk

New research from the CIPD exploring the quality of UK working lives suggests there has been a negative shift in how people think about and value their work. People insightThe CIPD is urging business leaders to have board-level HR representation or input to ensure there is the necessary expertise and ‘people insight’ to develop positive corporate cultures and manage workforce risks such as sexual harassment. This is the unsurprising message in a new report from the CIPD ‘The value of people expertise on corporate boards’. It claims just a quarter (25 percent) of FTSE 350 firms have a board member (both executive and non-executive) with an HR background, while only 2 percent have an HR director as an executive board member. More →

Office landlords take efficiency-boosting measures to cut energy costs

Office landlords take efficiency-boosting measures to cut energy costs

A new poll of 250 office landlords from infintSpace and Instant Group claims to have identified the most widely used energy saving measuresA new poll of 250 office landlords from infinitSpace and Instant Group claims to have identified the most widely used energy saving measures at their properties.  The study set out to identify which energy-saving measures are the most widely used and which landlords are prioritising in the years ahead as ambitions for a net-zero commercial real estate sector become increasingly focused. More →