Search Results for: office

To boost productivity in the UK, we need to think big and different

To boost productivity in the UK, we need to think big and different

olicymakers, businesses, and society must recognise the importance of productivity and collaborate to implement the necessary reforms and initiatives to unlock the country's full economic potentialThe decline in UK productivity since the Great Recession of 2008/2009 has been a matter of concern for business leaders, policymakers, and economists alike. Despite hopes that the pandemic would act as a catalyst for transformation and boost productivity, recent figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that the UK still lags behind several other G7 economies. More →

Generations in the workplace: setting the record straight

Generations in the workplace: setting the record straight

A middle aged man and a younger male colleague sit in comfortable chairs having a conversation to illustrate a conversation between generations of workersIf there were an algorithm to create a word cloud in response to searches for ‘What millennials want in the workplace?’, you’d expect to see Google spew out terms such as ‘flexibility’, ‘meaning’, ‘fairness’, ‘equality’, ‘inclusivity’, ‘opportunity’, ‘connections’, ‘socialising’ and ‘experience’. Do the same with ‘Gen Z’ replacing ‘millennials’ and – guess what – you’ll see the exact same word cloud, although perhaps in a different colour and order so you don’t think it’s based on the same homogeneous assumptions about younger generations. More →

Workplace generations express different demands of their jobs

Workplace generations express different demands of their jobs

A report from interior design and fit-out business Claremont claims that firms are having to work increasingly hard to address the needs and priorities of different workplace generationsEven though people who belong to so-called Generation Z are often described as digital natives, it is actually ‘Baby Boomers’ who are most focussed on workplace technology, a new poll claims. The report from interior design and fit-out business Claremont claims that firms are having to work increasingly hard to address the needs and priorities of different workplace generations. It claims that Baby Boomers (born 1946 to 1964) want better technology in the office to help them be more productive. They also want more face-to-face collaboration and team spirit more than any other generation. More →

All we are saying is give lease a chance

All we are saying is give lease a chance

The lease of office fit-out elements looks like a no-brainer for a number of reasons. But is the sector ready to embrace them?By their very nature, trends come and go. What we are now seeing with sustainable, responsible product and material sourcing goes way beyond trend or fad, of course, and in recent discussions we’ve had (and we’ve had quite a few) on the subject, the question of furniture as a service or a furniture lease model has arisen on a number of occasions. So often, in fact, that we decided we should look deeper into the subject, to ascertain its pros (and cons) and to decipher whether this is merely a hypothetical – certainly at any large scale – that the industry would like to adopt or is a very real here and now. More →

Members of European Parliament back charter to ‘revolutionise workplace wellbeing’

Members of European Parliament back charter to ‘revolutionise workplace wellbeing’

The Future Workforce Alliance (FWA), a consortium of policymakers, researchers and firms such as Zoom and Remote, has launched the European Charter for Digital Workplace WellbeingMembers of the European Parliament have backed a new charter from a consortium of organisations that sets out to ‘revolutionise workforce policy’. The Future Workforce Alliance (FWA), a consortium of policymakers, researchers and firms such as Zoom and Remote, has launched the European Charter for Digital Workplace Wellbeing and claims that the step by MEPs signals the beginning of the life/work revolution and solidification of workers’ rights in the face of  what it refers to as ‘return to office lobbying’. More →

‘Performative work’ is holding back productivity, poll claims

‘Performative work’ is holding back productivity, poll claims

A new  poll from Slack claims that a focus on performative work, rather than impact, is holding back UK businessesA new  poll from Slack claims that a focus on performative work, rather than impact, is holding back UK businesses; leading to them falling behind the likes of Germany, France, India and Singapore when it comes to adopting, and gaining, the efficiency benefits of technological advances in AI and automation. Based on findings from 2,000 desk workers in the UK, only 21 percent say their company is using AI tools to improve productivity, compared to 75 percent in India, 35 percent in Singapore, 29 percent in Germany and 23 percent in France. Meanwhile, 37 percent of UK workers say their productivity is measured on visibility (i.e. hours spent in the office or online). As a result, almost one third (30 percent) of the average day is lost to performative work that doesn’t contribute to company goals, but is simply done to appear productive. More →

The constant craving to put numbers on working relationships

The constant craving to put numbers on working relationships

The answer to the great question of life, the universe and everything is not 42, as you may have been led to believe. It’s 1/137 (or near enough). This is the greatest of the two dozen or so universal constants. According to current thinking, without the physical and quantum relationships it describes, the universe as we know it could not exist. More →

City dwellers take advantage of hybrid working to relocate to suburbs, towns and countryside

City dwellers take advantage of hybrid working to relocate to suburbs, towns and countryside

A new report claims that suburbs and small towns across are booming, as people take advantage of hybrid working to migrate from larger citiesA new report from IWG claims that suburbs, small towns and rural areas across the US and UK are booming, as people take advantage of hybrid working to migrate from larger cities. The study, undertaken in partnership with Arup, suggests that an estimated 500,000 people will leave US cities this year – 59 percent higher than pre-2020 levels – with most moving to suburbs, revitalised former dormitory towns and rural areas. Similarly, outbound migration across the UK is continuing at a faster rate than pre-pandemic levels, and there is strong evidence that suburbs and small towns have higher levels of economic activity than before 2020. More →

Works roundtable explores the changing face of wellbeing and how to deliver it

Works roundtable explores the changing face of wellbeing and how to deliver it

we looked to lift the lid on the strategies used to foster wellbeing, productivity, and employee satisfaction in the workplace

The first day of Clerkenwell Design Week also marked the first birthday of Works, and we celebrated with a number of industry friends at the Goswell Road showroom of Andreu World. Before we could enjoy a birthday drink, however, we had to earn it, and did so by hosting a panel discussion on the subject of Designing Wellbeing at Work. Together with our elite panel of industry greats – comprising Alice Aldous – Associate at Squire and Partners, Beatriz Gonzalez – Director at Scott Brownrigg, Chris Crawford – Studio Director and Senior Associate at Gensler and Alejandro Pardo – North Europe Area Manager for our generous hosts, Andreu World – we looked to lift the lid on the strategies used to foster wellbeing, productivity, and employee satisfaction in the workplace. More →

Workspace Design Show reveals plans to inspire and connect workplace professionals in Amsterdam

Workspace Design Show reveals plans to inspire and connect workplace professionals in Amsterdam

Following the creation of its London event, the highly anticipated Workspace Design Show Amsterdam takes place from October 11-12, 2023Following the successful creation of its London event over the past three years, the highly anticipated Workspace Design Show Amsterdam is set to take place from October 11-12, 2023, at the RAI. This premier event offers a fantastic opportunity for professionals to explore the latest trends, innovations, and ideas in workspace interiors. With over 2,500 workplace professionals expected to attend, this is an event you won’t want to miss. And Insight, IN and Works are proud to be media partners for the event. More →

A balanced approach: making hybrid working work, and accepting it isn’t optional

A balanced approach: making hybrid working work, and accepting it isn’t optional

For most, there needs to be an acceptance that hybrid working is a long-term project – even if there is some short-term painHybrid working is back in the headlines – not that it ever really left. A recent report from the Centre for Cities warns hybrid working will result in an “unintended economic impact” and is calling on national government and the mayor of London to do more to remove barriers to getting people back into the office. It suggests a freeze on commuting costs and calls for better collaboration between the private and public sectors to make working in cities more appealing. More →

Over half a million people with long-term sickness want return to work

Over half a million people with long-term sickness want return to work

between January-December 2022, nearly a quarter (22 percent) of those forced out of the workplace because of long-term sickness said that they wanted a jobAnalysis of Office for National Statistics (ONS) data from consultants Broadstone, claims that between January-December 2022, nearly a quarter (22 percent) of those forced out of the workplace because of long-term sickness said that they wanted a job. With economic inactivity because of ill-health surging to 2.6 million people as per the latest estimates through February-April 2023, it suggests that over half a million people – around 560,000 – are keen to return to employment so long as they can improve their health. According to the firm, would be a major boost to the UK economy, employers struggling with staff shortages and employees grappling with the continued cost of living crisis. More →