Search Results for: opportunities

November 12, 2025

Prime office costs rise as rents drive global growth

The cost of prime office space continued to climb in the third quarter of 2025, rising by 0.8 percent worldwide, according to Savills’ latest Prime Office Costs report. The increase takes the total average rise in costs over the past year to 3.3 percent, with rental growth now the main factor behind the trend. Savills reports that 25 of the 40 markets it tracks recorded higher average net effective occupier costs, which include rent and fit-out expenses. While global rents increased by an average of 0.9 percent during the quarter, fit-out and associated costs were largely unchanged, rising only 0.03 percent. (more…)

November 12, 2025

Younger workers are upbeat about career prospects but expect more from employers

by Neil Franklin • News, Technology, Workplace

Younger workers are the most optimistic about their career prospects but also the most likely to look for new opportunities if their ambitions are not met, according to PwC’s 2025 Global Workforce Hopes & Fears Survey. The study, which gathered responses from 2,023 UK employees across 28 sectors, found that 62 percent of Generation Z professionals (aged 18 to 28) feel optimistic about the future of their roles, almost double the proportion of Generation X workers at 35 percent. Despite economic uncertainty and technological disruption, Gen Z also show the highest levels of motivation, with 71 percent saying they look forward to going to work compared to 55 percent of Gen X respondents. (more…)

November 11, 2025

Government issues new guidance on managing surplus property

by Neil Franklin • News, Property

The UK Cabinet Office has published updated functional guidance titled Managing Surplus Government Property, setting out how government departments should identify, evaluate and dispose of surplus real estate within the central government estate. The document was released on 10 November 2025. The guidance replaces the earlier Guide for the Disposal of Surplus Land and reflects a broadened scope, placing greater emphasis on reviewing multiple options and combining factors when considering disposal or reuse of property assets. (more…)

November 10, 2025

Employers increasingly see AI as a way of reducing headcount

by Neil Franklin • News, Technology, Workplace

One in six (17 percent) employers expect AI to shrink their workforce over the next year, with junior roles most at risk, according to the CIPD’s latest Labour Market Outlook which surveyed over 2,000 employers on their hiring, redundancy and pay plans. Of those, almost two thirds (62 percent) believe that clerical, junior managerial, professional or administrative roles are most likely to be lost because of AI. The risk is highest in large private sector firms, where one in four (26 percent) expect headcount to fall, compared with 17 percent in the private sector overall and 20 percent in the public sector. (more…)

October 22, 2025

People no longer want to network, and it’s harming them and their careers

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing, Workplace

The art of networking is fading from the modern workplace, with a new poll from Nova suggesting that nearly two thirds (60 percent) of young professionals actively avoid in-person networking events, while around a third (29 percent) say they feel socially anxious when faced with real-life small talk. The report sets out the biggest challenges holding young people back from making real life connections to build relationships and a network. One in four (26 percent) dread awkward silences more than anything and one in five (19 percent) secretly hate small talk and wish they could skip it altogether – despite it being one of the simplest ways to build rapport and make professional connections. (more…)

October 21, 2025

Workplace design that supports health, learning and growth

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Workplace design

In 2025, workplace design looks to prioritise employee health, learning, and growth. This article will investigate how contemporary environments enhance wellness, handle technology, and adapt to the fluctuation of work. You will learn the techniques businesses use to amplify productivity and participation. The approaches and fundamentals that construct dynamic work environments are the focus of this article. (more…)

October 21, 2025

Design Festival North is back for 2026, but with Birmingham replacing Manchester

by Neil Franklin • News, Workplace design

Design Festival North, the regional design event organised by Design Social North, will return in 2026 with an expanded programme visiting Leeds, Birmingham and Liverpool. The one-day festival, which takes place on 12 March, will bring together architects, interior designers, specifiers and suppliers to explore new products and ideas from across the design and built environment sectors. The organisers say the event aims to strengthen connections between creative professionals and foster collaboration across regions outside London. (more…)

September 30, 2025

Mandates fail to bring people back to the office, but design and flexibility might

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Workplace design

Rigid return-to-office mandates are doing little to increase attendance, according to new research from international design practice Hassell. The firm’s latest Workplace Futures Survey, titled The Mandate Mirage, suggests that the real motivator for people to work in person is choice, particularly when supported by offices designed to offer more than just a desk. The sixth edition of the survey, which polled 3,000 office workers across the UK, US, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong and South Korea, finds that strict policies are more likely to generate dissatisfaction than compliance. In the UK, poorly executed mandates cut compliance by up to 41 percent, while organisations that offered bonuses or travel subsidies saw attendance increase by a third. Recently renovated offices also boosted in-person working by 15 percent. (more…)

September 24, 2025

Young people aren’t lazy or disloyal. They just expect different leadership

by Claudia Chianese • Comment, Workplace

For decades, the idea of a “good job” was measured with a simple formula: a stable contract and competitive salary. That rule does not seem to hold in the same way for Generation Z, broadly understood as those born between 1995 and 2010. As they join the workforce in greater numbers, this new cohort is helping to redefine what work and leadership mean. Salary still matters, of course, particularly when it comes to gaining independence in a time of high living costs, but many young people no longer see pay as the decisive factor in choosing or staying in a job. Instead, they are attentive to whether companies are genuine in their values, whether their work carries purpose, and whether employers are aware of their social impact. (more…)

September 18, 2025

Climate health risks threaten global productivity, warns WEF

by Neil Franklin • Environment, News

Climate-related health impacts could strip at least $1.5 trillion from global productivity by 2050, according to a new report from the World Economic Forum (WEF). The study warns that food and agriculture, the built environment, and health and healthcare are among the sectors most at risk unless businesses take urgent steps to adapt. The report, Building Economic Resilience to the Health Impacts of Climate Change, produced in collaboration with Boston Consulting Group, highlights the growing economic burden of heat stress, infectious disease and other climate-driven health threats. It argues that protecting workforce health is now a strategic priority, not only for humanitarian reasons but also to safeguard business continuity and economic stability. (more…)

September 17, 2025

People are still powering productivity in the era of AI

by Nick Gold • AI, Comment, Workplace

Employee productivity has been cast into the spotlight in recent months, thanks to the acceleration of AI. Our new research shows that 50 percent of businesses are prioritising employee productivity over the next two years, budgeting for resources that promote individual staff performance and effectiveness. AI’s growing role in the workplace is, of course, a key driver of this trend. But it’s not the only factor. Increased remote work and other operational challenges mean businesses are looking to maximise efficiency and get the best possible return on their investment. (more…)

September 16, 2025

Just one more CoreNet? Give it to me.

by Esme Banks Marr • Comment, Property

Last week, CoreNet Global’s EMEA Summit returned to Amsterdam, and with it, the familiar rhythm of connection, conversation, and the occasional déjà vu. I’ve attended a handful of these, and every year I tell myself I pretty much know what I’m in for… and yet, I keep coming back. Why? Well, let me unpack. First, let’s talk about the setting. Amsterdam is one of those cities that feels like it’s permanently on the front foot. It’s forward-thinking, relentlessly innovative, and always busy shaping the future. From cycling-first urban design to a thriving HQ and campus workplace scene, it’s a natural stage for a conversation about “Innovate to Thrive”, this year’s conference theme. I’ve always had the sense that the city itself lives that mantra. (more…)