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A third of employees are quietly sabotaging workplace AI

A third of employees are quietly sabotaging workplace AI

A survey by Writer and Workplace Intelligence found that 31 percent of staff admitted to behaviour that could be classed as sabotage. of workplace AINearly one in three employees are undermining their organisation’s use of generative AI, according to a new report. A survey by Writer and Workplace Intelligence suggests that 31 percent of staff admitted to behaviour that could be classed as sabotage. of workplace AI. This includes entering sensitive company information into unapproved tools, using software not sanctioned by employers, or failing to report security breaches. Around one in ten said they had gone further, deliberately lowering the quality of their work, tampering with performance metrics, or refusing to use AI altogether. (more…)

HNI Corp to acquire Steelcase in $2.2 billion deal

HNI Corp to acquire Steelcase in $2.2 billion deal

HNI Corporation, whose brands include HON and Allsteel, has agreed to acquire Steelcase in a cash and stock transaction valued at approximately $2.2 billionHNI Corporation, whose brands include HON and Allsteel, has agreed to acquire Steelcase in a cash and stock transaction valued at approximately $2.2 billion, according to a report from Rob Kirkbride of office insight. The deal brings together two of the US office furniture sector’s largest players and will create a combined company with annual revenue of around $5.8 billion. Under the terms of the agreement, Steelcase shareholders will receive $7.20 in cash and 0.2192 shares of HNI common stock for each Steelcase share they hold. Based on HNI’s closing price of $50.62 on August 1, 2025, the deal implies a purchase price of $18.30 per share for Steelcase. Once the acquisition is completed, HNI shareholders will hold 64 percent of the merged entity, with Steelcase shareholders owning the remaining 36 percent. (more…)

How AI is already changing the world of work

How AI is already changing the world of work

AI is already changing the world of work, but not everybody is reacting to it in the same way, writes Laura AndersonAI is rapidly transforming the world of work. That much is clear. Understanding how different generations are adapting to this shift is therefore crucial for any organisation looking to the future.  Our recent study focusing on the generational differences in attitudes towards some of today’s biggest topics sheds some light on what might be driving these trends. Perhaps the most important finding was that nearly two-thirds of Gen Z feel concerned about AI’s impact on their future (only Baby Boomers reported more concern) – even though over half are still using AI day to day. (more…)

Navel gazing may not be the answer to the challenges facing workplace professions

Navel gazing may not be the answer to the challenges facing workplace professions

An adherence to strongly held beliefs can make people think and behave in peculiar ways and get them tangled up in peripheral issues that take on a great deal of significance. Early religious artists, for example, spent centuries wrestling with the seemingly intractable problem of whether to depict Adam and Eve with belly buttons or not. (more…)

New Accessibility Act sets out to transform workplace inclusion across the EU

New Accessibility Act sets out to transform workplace inclusion across the EU

The advocates of the new European Accessibility Act suggest that it will transform workplace inclusion across the EUThe European Accessibility Act (EAA) will come into force on 28 June 2025. It introduces standardised accessibility requirements for a range of products and services across European Union member states. Its advocates suggest that it will transform workplace inclusion across the EU. The act applies to digital and physical services including websites, mobile apps, e-commerce platforms, banking services, ticketing machines and ATMs. Its primary goal is to improve access for people with disabilities and to harmonise requirements across the EU single market. (more…)

Study claims that working from home can significantly boost productivity

Study claims that working from home can significantly boost productivity

A new study of a large Turkish call centre provides fresh evidence that working from home can improve productivity and workforce diversityA new study of a large Turkish call centre provides fresh evidence that working from home can improve productivity and workforce diversity — though in-person onboarding remains crucial to long-term success. The research, conducted by economists from King’s College London, Stanford, the Paris School of Economics and the EBRD, examines Tempo BPO, a Turkish business process outsourcing company that moved fully remote in 2020. The authors include well-known remote work researchers Nick Bloom and Steven Davis, alongside Cevat Giray Aksoy, Victoria Marino, and Cem Ozguzel. (more…)

Half of company directors think their board is of no value to the business

Half of company directors think their board is of no value to the business

Almost half (46 percent) of company directors in the US and UK think their boards do not add enough value to their organisation. according to the Board Value Index from Board Intelligence.Almost half (46 percent) of company directors in the US and UK think their boards do not add enough value to their organisation, according to the Board Value Index from Board Intelligence. The Board Value Index is based on responses from more than 200 executive and non-executive directors from companies with over $50 million in turnover across the UK and US. Almost a third (31 percent) of directors surveyed said that their board adds no value at all, with half of that group believing their board is actively holding their organisation back. (more…)

Resistance to change is holding the UK back, report suggests

Resistance to change is holding the UK back, report suggests

There is a growing culture of resistance to change across the UK workforce, particularly among women, older employees, and public sector professionals.It used to be said that the UK was a nation of lions led by donkeys. Now it would appear that the country has become as stubborn as mules at every level. The new survey from Right Management claims there is a growing culture of resistance to change across the UK workforce, particularly among women, older employees, and public sector professionals. (more…)

Growing demand for homes and lab space may be met by repurposing vacant offices

Growing demand for homes and lab space may be met by repurposing vacant offices

Rather than retrofitting secondary vacant offices, landlords are converting them into homes and life sciences laboratoriesA growing mismatch between supply and demand in the housing and life sciences sectors is fuelling a wave of office conversions across the UK, as developers seek to repurpose outdated vacant offices to meet changing needs, according to a new report from CBRE. According to the real estate firm, the rise in hybrid and remote working has left a significant volume of secondary office space vacant, with many buildings no longer fit for modern corporate requirements. Rather than invest in costly retrofitting, landlords and investors are increasingly exploring conversion opportunities – particularly into residential units and life sciences laboratories. (more…)

How you handle your home life is reflected in how you handle your work life

How you handle your home life is reflected in how you handle your work life

A new study shows that people who proactively reorganise their family routines – such as adjusting childcare schedules or redistributing domestic responsibilities – are more likely to demonstrate adaptability and innovation in their work lifeA new study shows that people who proactively reorganise their family routines – such as adjusting childcare schedules or redistributing domestic responsibilities – are more likely to demonstrate adaptability and innovation in their work life. Researchers found that employees who take initiative at home carry the momentum into their professional lives, becoming more resilient and forward-thinking. The study, published in the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, was led by the University of Bath’s School of Management. Over a period of six weeks researchers followed 147 full-time, dual-income heterosexual couples with children in the US to explore how home life influences work performance. (more…)

Mayors in the North of England launch ‘The Great North’ to drive economic growth and investment

Mayors in the North of England launch ‘The Great North’ to drive economic growth and investment

A new partnership known as The Great North has been launched by mayors in the North of England to drive economic growth and investmentA new cross-regional partnership known as The Great North has been launched by the metropolitan mayors in the North of England, aiming to unlock economic growth, create jobs, and attract investment across the region. The initiative was unveiled at the UK Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) in Leeds, and marks what its founders call a new era of collaboration and locally driven prosperity. Chaired by North East Mayor Kim McGuinness and supported by the UK Government, the body brings together northern leaders to focus on shared priorities such as clean energy, advanced manufacturing, defence, and the creative industries. The initiative has been endorsed by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, who described it as central to the government’s ambition to shift power from Whitehall into the hands of local communities. (more…)

Parlez vous Tik Tok? How social media is driving conflict and misunderstanding in the workplace

Parlez vous Tik Tok? How social media is driving conflict and misunderstanding in the workplace

The way people communicate on social media is reshaping how they connect and collaborate with each other in the workplaceThe way people communicate on social media is reshaping how they connect and collaborate with each other in the workplace, according to research from The Adaptavist Group. The research suggests that platforms like TikTok and Instagram are directly influencing how 83 percent of people communicate professionally, fuelling conflict and misunderstanding amongst an increasingly intergenerational workforce. The findings, outlined in The Adaptavist Group’s Workplace Communication Atlas, were based on a survey of 1,000 UK knowledge workers conducted by Attest. (more…)