May 23, 2023

Office giant Sedus announces partnership with Watson Furniture Group

Sedus Stoll AG, the Germany based office furniture giant, and US based Watson Furniture Group have announced a new global partnership. The deal was signed at last year’s Orgatec office furniture exhibition. For both companies, the global partnership is seen a logical next step in the development of their businesses, the firms claim. Shared values and similar market strategies and expertise in the areas of technology and manufacturing are an excellent stepping stone to strategic cooperation. More →

May 17, 2023

APAC region leads the world in return to office bookings, report claims

by Jayne Smith • Facilities management, News, Property, Technology

A new report from Eptura [registration] claims that there has been a global wave of return to office bookings led by the Asia Pacific market, including a worldwide 338 percent increase in collaborative room bookings, 76 percent room booking check-in rate, 35 percent increase in visitor check-ins, and 3 percent increase in site inspections. More →

May 17, 2023

Ahrend UK and Techo UK to merge with opening of joint showroom at Clerkenwell Design Week

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Workplace design, Works Magazine

Ahrend UK and Techo UK have announced their merger which becomes effective on the first of July 1st. The move will see the companies operate under the global name Royal Ahrend and will be evident at the opening of a renovated joint showroom during Clerkenwell Design Week in London from May 23rd to 25th, 2023. The Techo name will continue to exist as a distinctive product brand and will be part of the Royal Ahrend brand portfolio. The firm claims that by combining forces, it will be able to ‘further strengthen the customer experience with an exceptional customer-oriented service, aimed at both the direct market and the dealer market in the UK’. More →

May 11, 2023

Office furniture giant Flokk opens showroom in heart of Manchester

by Freddie Steele • Company news

Norwegian furniture powerhouse Flokk have opened a stunning new showroom in the vibrant city of Manchester. The open plan space showcases the Flokk portfolio with popular designs from brands Offecct, HÅG, Giroflex, RH, Profim and the newest brand to join the family, Connection. Positioned in the city centre, with unrivalled access to all railway stations and the airport, Flokk’s Manchester showroom will welcome guests from across the North-West and beyond. More →

May 10, 2023

Bisley Home Space to launch at Clerkenwell Design Week 2023

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Flexible working, Workplace design

British furniture maker Bisley is to open the doors of its new Home Space showroom during Clerkenwell Design Week (23-25 May 2023) exploring the theme of People, Wellbeing and Space – at Home and at Work. Making its debut at Clerkenwell Design Week will be the Bisley Home Space, a brand new area of the showroom dedicated to Bisley’s growing range of products for the home. A key festival highlight will be an installation created by interior design writer and stylist Cate St Hill. Bisley x Cate St Hill explores Fern, Bisley’s acclaimed collection of stylish steel lockers, and new pieces for spring 2023 including the versatile Reef wall-mounted shelf, with a special area of the showroom curated by Cate in her distinctive calm, neutral style. More →

May 9, 2023

Jiecang and Logicdata pioneer dynamic office furniture with new technological solutions

by Freddie Steele • Company news

Jiecang, one of the world’s leading supplier of linear actuators, in conjunction with the Austrian brand Logicdata, a European company that has been part of the Jiecang Group since 2021, is offering a wide range of technological solutions to make office furniture more dynamic, smart, and interactive. More →

April 25, 2023

Wellbeing and sustainability are defining characteristics of London’s BCO Awards winning offices

by Neil Franklin • News, Property, Workplace design

London’s most outstanding workplaces have been recognised with British Council for Offices Awards going to seven office buildings across the capital. Held at the London Hilton on Park Lane, the BCO’s annual London Awards Lunch recognised projects that demonstrate best practice in office design, fit-out, operation and sustainability, setting the standard for excellence across the sector. More →

April 24, 2023

Reconnecting older workers with the office: have we retired what matters most?

by Julie Lecoq • Comment, Flexible working, Workplace design

Older workers now make up a larger percentage of the workforce than they did two decades ago. Data from Legal and General and the Centre for Economic Research (Cebr) suggests that the number of over 50s in employment has increased by 36 percent in the last 20 years, with 47 percent of this age group predicted to be in employment by 2030. A combination of the increase in retirement age and rising costs of living have made it a necessity for individuals to stay in work longer. From a corporate perspective, the growing skills shortages in a range of sectors has also meant that employers are consistently seeking to attract and retain those in the latter stage of their professional career. More →

April 10, 2023

The new issue of Works boldly goes where no other office magazine has gone before

by Mick Jordan • News, Premium Content, Workplace design, Works Magazine

The new digital edition of Works is now available to view online for free. Print copies are on their way to subscribers. In this issue, we visit new offices in London, Thessaloniki and elsewhere across Europe, talk to designers from Switzerland, Sweden and the UK, report back on three separate shows in Stockholm and London (x2) and round up the best new products from all of them and then at the end of the day, sit down from a drink and a chat with a few industry pioneers from the Sustainable Design Collective to listen to their thoughts on what is energising them right now. More →

March 28, 2023

Sustainable Design Collective announces new forum and awards

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Environment

The Sustainable Design Collective, a ‘think tank’ group of leading workplace designers and specifiers, has announced a new Forum Day, together with industry awards, focussed on greater sustainability. Originally formed in January 2022, the Sustainable Design Collective hosts regular meetings to collaborate and discuss new opportunities to promote environmental and social responsibility within the office workplace. The group is now inviting conversations with fellow designers as well as suppliers and manufacturers. More →

March 27, 2023

The importance of an office location in business

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Property

With thousands of businesses converting to online commerce, the importance of an office or storefront is often overlooked. While internet commerce is undoubtedly at an all-time high, millions of consumers still shop and do business with brick-and-mortar companies. Your business location can have a significant impact on your price points, accessibility, and your competition. Where you set up your shop should be one of the most carefully considered aspects of opening your business. Office location is truly everything when it comes to business success. More →

March 27, 2023

The five ages of the office and the man who shaped the way we talk about them

by Rob Harris • Features, Flexible working, Workplace design

The office has passed through five ages. The ‘coffee houses’ of the 17th century, yielded to the ‘clerical factories’ of the 19th as machines revolutionised work. After the Second World War, the ‘corporate offices’ of global corporations and William Whyte’s Organization Man dominated the scene. Following the launch of IBM’s PC in the early-1980s, we saw the rise of ‘digital offices’ in the 1990s, complete with internet, email and social media. And for the past few years we have been moving inexorably towards the latest age: ‘network offices’. Each age was shorter than its predecessor: both the digital and network ages began less than a career span ago. More →