December 3, 2023

Tailored workplace management for modern organisations

by Paul Phillips • Comment, Technology, Workplace design

Workplace management used to be a secondary concern for organisations in the past, but it has now become a top priority. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the process of digital transformation, leading to the implementation of new processes and technologies that focus on facilitating remote and at-home work. As a result of these changes, organisations have recognized the importance of finding a balance in their work environments. (more…)

December 1, 2023

Take me home, country roads. Mike Petrusky on the Workplace Cocktail Hour

by Neil Franklin • News, Podcasts, Premium Content, Workplace Cocktail Hour

Joining Mark Eltringham this week on the Workplace Cocktail Hour podcast is Mike Petrusky. He is the head of podcasts at Eptura and host of the Workplace Innovator podcast which you can find here. In an open, frank conversation we discuss how to have better conversations about the workplace (and everything else), solidarity with our fellow humans, the death of Shane McGowan, mental illness and what firms can and can’t do about it, what we do and don’t know and the need for humility in the way we share our opinions. (more…)

November 30, 2023

Generative AI will hollow out many middle class roles over the next decade

by Neil Franklin • AI, News, Technology, Workplace

Generative AI will have a much greater impact on white collar roles than blue collar ones over the next 10 years, according to a new report from Pearson. In at least ten white collar roles, more than 35 percent of tasks could be done by AI, with medical secretaries (41 percent) predicted to be the most impacted. Conversely, every of one of the top 10 least impacted are classed as blue collar, revealing launderers, dry cleaners and pressers (0 percent) as the UK’s most AI-proof job. (more…)

November 30, 2023

Flexible workspace market will be worth up to $50bn by end of decade

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Property

According to a new market intelligence report, the worldwide flexible workspace market could exceed between 35 and 50 billion US dollars by 2030, reflecting the growing demand for flexible and agile work environments. The report claims that the escalating demand for flexible workspaces is on the rise, propelled by a heightened desire for convenience and comfort in prime locations such as offices and auditoriums. (more…)

November 29, 2023

Demand for sustainable buildings and tight regulations drive business case for investment

by Neil Franklin • Environment, News, Property

The current economic environment is creating challenges for investors and occupiers to make the case for investing in retrofitting and futureproofing their real estate. JLL’s new The Commercial Case for Making Buildings More Sustainable report outlines three key factors that should be prioritized in occupiers’ and owners’ decision-making to create a more resilient and sustainable built environment. (more…)

November 28, 2023

Half of deskless workers suspect they are invisible and expendable

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News

Over half of UK based ‘deskless’ workers (51 per cent) say they’re viewed as expendable by their employer. Plus, almost a third (32 per cent), feel that their corporate, desk-based colleagues regard them as inferior. These are the findings from O.C. Tanner’s 2024 Global Culture Report which gathered data and insights from more than 42,000 employees, leaders, HR practitioners, and executives from 27 countries worldwide including 4,818 from the U.K (of which 1,734 are deskless). (more…)

November 28, 2023

Unpicking the retrofit enigma

by Mark Eltringham • Briefing, News, Property, Workplace design

Earlier this year, a report from building consultancy Mace advocated for a retrofit first principle for buildings. The report highlighted how non-domestic buildings in the UK make up about an eighth of the country’s building stock but account for around a quarter of the country’s carbon emissions. The solution argued for in the report was to look at how best to retrofit around 3.5 million such buildings over the next ten years. We explore many of the issues around this crucial subject in this supplement produced in partnership with BVN. It represents both a snapshot of the current conversations about retrofit while pointing a way ahead. This one will run and run, but we need to get it right. (more…)

November 27, 2023

Council employees working from home are committing fraud with second job

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Public Sector

The UK Government’s National Fraud Initiative is looking into a number of local authority employees who have been caught ‘moonlighting’ while they were supposed to be working from home for the council. The NFI considers this a form of fraud because it is seen as working multiple contracts without the knowledge of employers and contrary to their terms of employment. Multiple contract working is seen as fraud when people who are paid to work full time, split their days between two or more employers without their knowledge. (more…)

November 27, 2023

From the archive: The role of workplace design in employee engagement ⁰

by Serena Borghero • Features, Wellbeing, Work&Place, Workplace design

Originally published six years ago, this feature is currently the most read story ever on the website with around 50,000 readers. A global study by my own firm Steelcase has found that one-third of workers across 17 of the world’s most important economies are actually disengaged. The findings make worrying reading for employers around the world, as engagement is so demonstrably linked to business critical outcomes such as employee retention, productivity and even profits. It certainly raises the question of what more can be done, including in terms of workplace design, to boost engagement levels amongst these employees. (more…)

November 27, 2023

Appetite for hybrid working shows no sign of letting up at large firms

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News

The ongoing advancements in technology have made remote collaboration more feasible and seamless than ever before. Collaboration tools have become essential in ensuring the coexistence of the digital and physical workplace, both internally with employees and externally with clients. And in 2023, companies have been posting hybrid working related roles in record numbers, according to a new report from GlobalData. (more…)

November 16, 2023

Half of people say they are less productive in coworking spaces

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News

According to a new survey from software marketplace Capterra, 83 percent of UK coworking and other flexible office spaces are currently occupied. Companies say they are drawn to coworking spaces for cost reductions (38 percent), flexibility (30 percent), and shared amenities (27 percent). However around 53 percent of people who work in flex space say they are less productive in such spaces, 35 percent of respondents appreciate the collaborative atmosphere and the locations and facilities these spaces can provide and 38 percent say they are concerned about confidentiality and privacy. (more…)

November 15, 2023

NaughtOne introduces Percy: a bold, versatile lounge chair

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Furniture

NaughtOne, the global office furniture brand, has launched Percy, a striking yet simple lounge chair. From offices to universities to hospitality environments, Percy exemplifies adaptable design that is ideal for a wide range of modern spaces. The Percy Lounge Chair is the latest addition to NaughtOne’s collection of functional yet stylish furniture. Inspired by the simple, utilitarian design of mid-century waiting room chairs, Percy features classic, uninterrupted flowing lines. Only two elements marry to create this lounge chair: the bold graphic outline of the frame and the plush, cushioned upholstery. (more…)