November 4, 2019

Brexit continues to dampen UK commercial property market

The Brexit impasse is contributing to perceptions that the UK Commercial Property Market is in the downturn phase of the property cycle, according to the Q3 2019 RICS UK Commercial Property Market Survey. The latest results suggest that the highest proportion of respondents sensing the overall market is in the downturn phase of the property cycle since the series began in 2015 (+62 percent up from +53 percent in Q2), with anecdotal evidence suggesting that Brexit is having an increasingly detrimental impact on market activity. More →

October 31, 2019

Freelancers say work makes them lonely, anxious and depressed

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing

Around two thirds (64 percent) of freelancers say they regularly feel lonely due to their work, with a further 59 percent saying they suffer from work-related anxiety, according the new research from office stationery and furniture suppliers, Viking. The survey also suggests that 60 percent say their quality of sleep is negatively affected by work, whilst over half (54 percent) read work emails on holiday. More →

October 30, 2019

Real estate leaders continue to see the value of coworking

by Neil Franklin • Coworking, News, Property

Cushman & Wakefield has published a new report that looks at the perceptions held by corporate real estate executives about flexible workspaces and coworking. Cushman & Wakefield partnered with CoreNet Global to survey more than 550 key CRE executives at organisations around the world. More →

October 30, 2019

UK and Irish law firms lead the way in adoption of agile working

by Neil Franklin • News, Workplace design

UK based law firms lead the way in the adoption of agile working, according to a new report from CBRE which looks at the workplace strategies of major legal practices across EMEA regions. CBRE’s Law in EMEA report offers what it claims is the first ever benchmark analysis of the legal sector internationally. Although the report suggests that agile design principles are shown to be strongly associated with lower rents per person in local markets, there is limited take up of this approach amongst legal firms outside the UK.

October 30, 2019

The workplace of the future and its tech must work for the good of society

by Neil Franklin • AI, News, Technology, Wellbeing

October 29, 2019

Remote working key to winning the battle for talent

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News

According to a new study conducted by the Centre of Economics and Business Research (Cebr) with support from Citrix Systems, Inc., companies that leverage technology to enable flexible and remote working models can not only attract talent, but increase employee engagement and productivity, potentially boosting the US economy by as much as $2.36 trillion a year. Through an online survey of more than 2,500 US knowledge workers conducted in July, the Cebr study sought to determine the potential value to the US economy of the adoption of a more widespread, flexible working culture. It claims that in offering virtual/remote work options and providing the tools to enable them, companies can better compete in the battle for talent by dipping into untapped pools of workers. More →

October 29, 2019

Here is how you should handle racial discrimination in the workplace

by Karen Holden • Comment, Legal news, Workplace

While progress has been made with tackling racial discrimination in recent decades, it is clear that it still lives on in the workplace in less overt and more nuanced forms. A survey commissioned by the Trade Union Congress found that over 70 percent of ethnic minority workers say they have experienced racial harassment at work and around 60 percent state that they have been subject to unfair treatment by their employer. Karen Holden, Founder of A City Law Firm, is keen to outline the laws surrounding racial discrimination in the workplace and exactly what the employers responsibilities are. More →

October 29, 2019

Workplace values matter more than career progression to young dads

by Han Son Lee • Comment, Flexible working, Wellbeing

With recent research showing that over half of young dads (58 percent) are more actively involved in day to day parenting than ever before, it is increasingly important that employers put health and wellbeing and other workplace values at the heart of their offer to employees. In particular, they should be able to offer flexible working options in order to retain their best staff. Our research looking at the Millennial Dad at Work also highlighted starkly that some business sectors are more accommodating than others when it comes to flexible working. Perhaps surprisingly, the construction industry came out of the research very well with 48 percent requesting a change in working hours since becoming a father of which 78 percent of those were successful. The retail sector and the pharmaceutical industry also did well. More →

October 29, 2019

Startup yulife is using gamification to boost workplace morale

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Promotion, Wellbeing

Yulife, a Shoreditch-based startup is using its innovative app to reward staff members for being healthy. The company offers life insurance plans for staff members which are backed by heavyweight insurer AIG, but staff also get the opportunity to earn rewards for every mile they walk, meditating and keep healthy. The company is the brainchild of former Vitality executive Sammy Rubin who founded yulife with a passion for bringing health and wellbeing to the UK insurance market. The insuretech company has hired renowned health expert Dr Rangan Chatterjee as the Chief of Wellbeing Officer and is endorsed by Deliciously Ella. More →

October 28, 2019

The key to wellbeing at work is focusing on the individual

by Jonathan Hindle • Comment, Wellbeing, Workplace design

It gets more apparent as each day passes that the layout of an office can have a profound impact on wellbeing at work. While this knowledge is more widespread than it once was, it’s still common to see companies addressing the issue with simple box-ticking exercises rather than taking into consideration the actual wants and needs of employees.

October 27, 2019

Over 50s account for total five year increase in night working

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing, Workplace

The number of people regularly working night shifts is at its highest level since the Office for National Statistics began collecting records in their current form, according to a new analysis from the TUC. The analysis of official data shows that 3.25 million people (more than 1 in 9 workers) work in Britain’s night-time economy – 100,000 more than five years ago. While the number of over 50s doing night work has accelerated in recent years, fewer young workers are doing night shifts. More →

October 25, 2019

Workplace culture fails to meet needs of multi-generational workforce

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Technology, Workplace design

A new report (registration) claims that companies with a one-size-fits-all approach to workplace design is failing to meet the needs and expectations of a multigenerational workforce. Published by Chargifi with in put from WeWork and other firms, the study polled more than 2,000 employees about their experience of workplace culture and office design and how mobility affects their day-to-day lives. More →