Search Results for: office

January 25, 2017

The office of the future should be defined by the age of its inhabitants. But not in the way you think ⁰

by Mark Eltringham • Flexible working, News, Workplace design

The office of the future is most commonly seen as the habitat of Millennials. But there are all sorts of flaws in this assumption. Apart from the casual stereotyping of a diverse demographic of people, the most glaring is the fact that the workforce is ageing rather than getting younger, and that most offices must now meet the needs of a wider range of age groups than at any time in their history. A new report from Totaljobs seeks to redress the balance in this regard. It suggests that some of the key features of the office of the future will not be slides and ping pong tables but flexible working areas, quiet spaces, spas and private medical rooms. The study claims that the fixation with Millennials means that a large number of older workers now feel that the design of offices does not meet their needs.

January 18, 2017

Interaction completes transformation of Grade II listed Victorian castle into new office ⁰

by Neil Franklin • Case studies, Company news, Workplace design

Design and build firm Interaction , has completed the design and fit out of a Grade II listed Victorian ‘castle’ in Cirencester as the new head office of financial comparison website money.co.uk. In 2015 the firm was ranked the second fastest growing business in the UK by The Sunday Times and needed its workplace to reflect this growth, convey its culture and attract new talent. The core concept was a juxtaposition of the traditional architecture of The Castle with a contemporary interior. The design features include a bespoke Star Wars themed cinema complete with popcorn machine, two gyms, hand painted suits of armour as well as ‘Rolling Stones’ and ‘Steam Punk’ themed bathrooms. The new office incorporates a number of settings for informal meetings, private work, training, relaxing or socialising. This includes an ‘ice cave’ which can be used for an informal meeting, or to eat and socialise. There is also a ‘ski lodge’, which can be accessed through a secret door. More →

January 11, 2017

New gadget aims to deal with office acoustics at source ⁰

by Mark Eltringham • News, Products, Technology, Workplace design

Last year we ran a piece which looked at some of the outlandish ways designers have offered people the chance to get some peace and quiet at work. The extremes people will consider as they deal with the challenge of office acoustics is enlightening. All of those examples relied on the principle of keeping at least some of the racket produced by colleagues from entering the ear. But a new prototype product launched at this week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas frames the issue differently by going back to source. The Hushme is a voice masking device for mobile phones. It has integrated earbuds and comes with a range of masking sounds such as wind, rain, monkey, Darth Vader and squirrel. You have to wonder who it’s aimed at but the makers suggest it is all about privacy. Then again, it may make an ideal gift for some and could be popular for this year’s Secret Santas.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2Cf3rHifv0[/embedyt]

January 11, 2017

Office workers have substantially higher rates of obesity than national average ⁰

by Sara Bean • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing, Workplace

Obesity rates among office workers are substantially higher than other workers, a new report claims. Recent figures have revealed that 63 percent (NOO.org) of UK people entered 2017 either overweight or obese; despite around 35 percent holding a new year’s resolution to lose weight last year, The research also claimed that absent rates due to lifestyle related diseases is costing the British economy over £8.2 billion per year. Following this revelation, in correlation with National Obesity Awareness Week, Savoystewart.co.uk looked at which industries are most in danger of putting on weight due to the nature of their career choice. The statistics highlighted that those working in Leisure and Hospitality are the least likely be at threat, with those overweight and obese at 52 percent; 10 percent less than the national obesity average of 62 percent. In contrast, those working in administration are those most at danger, with obesity rates of 77 percent; a substantial 15 percent higher than the national average.

December 22, 2016

Getting ahead at work: social class divide, power and office politics ⁰

by Mark Eltringham • News, Workplace

A new study from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business has found that class-based inequality in the workplace persists not only because of external factors like bias and glass ceilings, but also because of structural factors that discourage people from lower social classes from seeking positions of power in the first place. The paper, co-authored by Peter Belmi of the Darden School of Business and Kristin Laurin of the Stanford Graduate School of Business, claims that most people believe that getting ahead requires a mixture of pro-social behavior – such as being competent, hard-working, and a team player; and political behaviour – such as being outspoken, flattering, and treating others as “resources”. According to the research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, inequality begins to thrive in the disparity between which groups are actually willing to put both behaviours into practice. Even though everyone derides political angling, it turns out that relatively high-class individuals are still willing to play the game to get ahead. Not so with lower-class individuals.

December 20, 2016

Demand for Bristol offices driven by TMT, professional and energy occupiers ⁰

by Sara Bean • Cities, Facilities management, News, Property

A rise in the cost of renting commercial property in Bristol is being driven by increased demand from TMT, professional and energy occupiers looking for office space in the city, with take up levels of Bristol city centre offices predicted to reach 800,000 sq ft (74,322 sq m) in 2016. This is 50 percent above the five year average of 533,000 sq ft (49,517 sq m), according to Savills. This influx has resulted in a significant decrease in the supply of city centre Grade A stock, with levels currently at 117,116 sq ft (10,880 sq m). In order to cope with the demand landlords, particularly those with TMT tenants are refurbishing their offices, with the refurbishment/redevelopment pipeline at an estimated 300,000 sq ft (27,871 sq m). Savills notes that as a result of increased demand rental growth has been seen in both Grade A and B stock in Bristol. Refurbished office space is now reaching rents of £27 per sq ft (£291 per sq m) in Grade B stock, just below the headline rent of £28.50 per sq ft (£307 per sq m). It is predicted that in 2017 rents on Grade A space will reach and exceed £30 per sq ft (£323 per sq m).

December 19, 2016

UK digital divide narrows, but major problems remain for homes and offices ⁰

by Mark Eltringham • News, Technology

The UK’s patchy and frequently shoddy broadband network has held back the country for a long time. According to a new report from industry regulator Ofcom, however, there are signs of improvement with the number of UK domestic and commercial properties unable to get a decent broadband connection falling by one million over the past year. Even so, around 5 percent of offices and homes are unable to enjoy broadband speeds over 10 Mbit/s, the speed Ofcom claims is required to meet a typical household’s digital needs. The findings are part of Ofcom’s Connected Nations 2016 report – an in-depth look at the state of the UK’s telecoms and wireless networks. This year’s report shows good progress on the availability and take-up of communications services, which are crucial to people’s personal and working lives.

December 2, 2016

Fifth of employees are negatively affected by political talk in the office ⁰

by Sara Bean • News, Wellbeing, Workplace

It’s been a tumultuous year for political change, and in the UK, none more so than that of whether to stay or leave the European Union. We were still getting over the reactions to Brexit when Donald Trump secured the Presidential election. These events have made political discussions in the workplace near inescapable. But talking politics with colleagues can lead to all sorts of problems, particularly when there is a disagreement in political points of view. Probably more than any other year, the political results during 2016 have been increasingly divisive, with political discourse raised to an entirely new level of fractiousness and disagreement; leaving employees feeling stressed, more isolated from their colleagues, and less productive as a result. Unsurprisingly then, a survey of 1,000 employees conducted by HR and employment law specialist Peninsula claims that 1 in 5 employees are negatively affected by political talk in the workplace. The survey also discovered that 65 percent of employees avoid talking politics at work and 32 percent of employees reported that workplace hostility has increased because of political discussions at work.

November 15, 2016

London office construction increases but pace of new building slowing down ⁰

by Mark Eltringham • News, Property

Central London office construction has continued to rise over the past six months, reaching 14.8 million sq ft, and setting a new eight-year development high in the capital. The latest London Office Crane Survey by Deloitte Real Estate has recorded 40 new starts, adding 2.8 million sq ft into the development pipeline. Once again, the greatest number of new starts was in the City. Construction began on 14 new schemes, totalling 1.1 million sq ft, and increases the City’s development pipeline to 8.8 million sq ft. In contrast, the West End and Midtown submarkets have seen construction activity decrease by 25 percent and 20 percent respectively over the past six months. This is largely as a result of a number of projects completing and smaller schemes starting. For the first time, the crane survey also tracks construction activity in three additional locations: Vauxhall-Nine Elms-Battersea, White City and Stratford. These three areas boast 11 office schemes under construction and will deliver 2.9 million sq ft to the market, 65 percent of which is already pre-let.

November 15, 2016

Increased take-up of office space in Manchester as Brexit influences investors ⁰

by Sara Bean • Cities, Facilities management, News, Property

Take-up of prime office space in central Manchester is on course to hit 1 million sq ft in 2016 and could be influenced by the impact of Brexit. The latest research by Colliers International suggests that overseas investors retained an interest in prime Manchester office space partly because of the devaluation of sterling following the Referendum vote for the UK to leave the EU – as proven by the recent £164m acquisition of the 288,000 sq ft One St Peter’s Square by global real estate investor Deka Immobilien. There have been a series of other major deals, including an insurance firm taking 165,000 sq ft of Grade A office scheme, a global law firm moving its global centre into an 80,848 sq ft development; and a government department negotiating a 60,000 sq ft deal. The legal sector accounted for almost 25 percent of total office take-up so far in 2016, followed by media and technology (16 percent) and business services (15 percent). However, all this activity may result in a lack of ready to occupy space in the city by early 2017.

November 10, 2016

The changing workplaces of Australia’s law firms; more in common with hotels than offices ⁰

by Mark Eltringham • Architecture, Features, Workplace design

Features such as baristas, sky terraces and fine dining will continue a process of transformation at the workplaces of Australia’s leading law firms over the next few years, claims a study by Melbourne based architecture practice Bates Smart. The report claims that the legal workplaces of today are are already unrecognisable compared to what was considered typical yesterday, having more in common with a five star hotel than a traditional office. Bates Smart predicts an even greater shift towards flexibility, collaboration and hospitality from legal firms in the future with the publication of four key findings in its new whitepaper, The Legal Workplace 2020, The report analyses trends in over 135,000 sq. m. of legal practice workplaces and draws conclusions that are indicative of key trends for law firms and the wider market alike.

November 2, 2016

Calming office space and flexible hours best ways to combat workplace stress ⁰

by Sara Bean • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing, Workplace, Workplace design

More flexible hours, a more caring attitude from management, a welcoming office design and space away from the desk to take a break are much more effective ways to reduce workplace stress than expensive office overhauls or the provision of mindfulness classes, a new survey claims. A study into the measures that help reduce stress conducted by Cascade HR, explored what workers feel bosses can do to reduce their stress levels, and found that introducing flexible working hours (47 percent), early finishes on Fridays (39 percent) and a caring, friendly management style (38 percent) would have the biggest impact. The research also revealed the physical aspects of the workplace which employees believe employers could change or introduce to improve their occupational mental health. In fact, the workplace being clean and tidy was the factor that workers felt could go the furthest to reducing their stress (35 percent), while almost 1 in 3 felt having music playing would help to keep their stress at bay; as would simply having a space away from desks in which to chill out (29 percent) or to eat (27 percent) during breaks.