Search Results for: organisations

Carbon capture could help turn CO2 into fuels, chemicals and building materials

Carbon capture could help turn CO2 into fuels, chemicals and building materials

by • Environment, News

The report, Defossilizing Industry: Considerations for Scaling-up Carbon Capture and Utilization Pathways, outlines how industries could transform captured carbon dioxide into fuels, chemicals and building materialsA new report from the World Economic Forum warns that current plans for carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) fall well short of what is needed to meet global climate goals. The study, launched today in collaboration with Wood Mackenzie, concludes that planned CCU projects represent only around six percent of the scale required by 2040 to align with international targets. The report, Defossilizing Industry: Considerations for Scaling-up Carbon Capture and Utilization Pathways, outlines how industries could transform captured carbon dioxide into fuels, chemicals and building materials, creating new markets while cutting emissions. It argues that CCU has the potential to convert carbon from a liability into an asset, generating jobs and value chains across multiple sectors. However, it warns that without stronger policy signals and investment, the opportunity will remain unrealised. (more…)

Hybrid working is now more about when work is done, rather than where

Hybrid working is now more about when work is done, rather than where

by • Flexible working, News

The defining issue in workplace flexibility and hybrid working is now time rather than locationA new report from Owl Labs suggests that the debate over where people work is being replaced by questions about when they work. The firm’s 2025 State of Hybrid Work report argues that the defining issue in workplace flexibility and hybrid working is now time rather than location. The study, based on a survey of 2,000 US workers, claims that almost half of respondents believe they do not have enough flexibility in their working hours. Thirty seven percent said they would turn down a job that did not provide flexible scheduling, an increase compared to last year. Around a quarter said they would find a four day week more attractive than a traditional arrangement, with many indicating they would be willing to take a pay cut in exchange for greater control over their time. On average, workers said they would give up around eight to nine percent of their salary to secure more flexible hours or a reduced working week. (more…)

Lead boldly, pivot strategically: redefine change leadership, before it redefines you

Lead boldly, pivot strategically: redefine change leadership, before it redefines you

by • Business, Comment, JB

The question isn't whether change will continue to accelerate—it's whether we'll rise to meet it with the leadership our times demand. Change management is no longer just a discipline, it’s a mindset. In today’s hyperconnected, rapidly evolving business landscape, the ability to lead through constant transformation has become the defining characteristic of exceptional leadership, and one that is weighing heavily on all leaders. When leaders claim that “people don’t like change,” they’re missing a fundamental truth about human nature. We navigate change every single day, adapting our morning routines when a loved one falls ill, finding alternative routes when our train is cancelled, or pivoting our plans when circumstances shift. Change itself isn’t the problem. The issue is that people don’t like being changed or having transformation imposed upon them without agency, understanding, or involvement. (more…)

Employees on a four-day week use their extra day off for housework, hobbies, ‘me-time’ and moonlighting

Employees on a four-day week use their extra day off for housework, hobbies, ‘me-time’ and moonlighting

by • Flexible working, News, Workplace

New research claims to shed light on how employees who switch to a four-day week spend their additional day off – and some are using it to take on extra jobs.New research claims to shed light on how employees who switch to a four-day week spend their additional day off – and some are using it to take on extra jobs. As well as housework, hobbies and voluntary work, staff are also devoting time to education, caring responsibilities and side businesses that can sometimes compete with their main employment. The study, led by Dr Mengyi Xu, Dr Daniel Wheatley, Dr Holly Birkett and Professor Tony Dobbins of Birmingham Business School at the University of Birmingham, explored the experiences of employees, managers and executives at UK organisations using the ‘100:80:100 model’, where staff receive 100 percent of their pay while completing their workload in four days rather than five. (more…)

AI, automation anxiety and the future of work: lessons from Daniel Susskind

AI, automation anxiety and the future of work: lessons from Daniel Susskind

by • AI, Comment, Workplace

Jo Sutherland reports from an enlightening lecture on how automation anxiety and fears about the future of work may not be quite as you thinkWhen I joined the audience at Gresham College for Professor Daniel Susskind’s inaugural lecture on automation anxiety, I expected the familiar line: AI is coming for our jobs. That’s not what I heard. Instead, Susskind, Professor of Business at Gresham, made a surprisingly nuanced argument, explaining that the real story was less about the number of jobs losses, and more about how the very nature of work is shifting. This piece reports on that event (available to watch below) and reflects on what his ideas mean for workplace leaders – and, from my vantage point as a communications professional working with organisations through workplace and digital transformation, how we talk to and engage our colleagues through the change. (more…)

AI and National Insurance rise linked to jobs market slowdown

AI and National Insurance rise linked to jobs market slowdown

by • News, Workplace

New research from Reed suggests that the combined impact of artificial intelligence and rising National Insurance costs is contributing to a slowdown in the UK jobs market.New research from Reed suggests that the combined impact of artificial intelligence and rising National Insurance costs is contributing to a slowdown in the UK jobs market. The survey claims that 15 percent of employers said the adoption of AI had led them to reduce hiring, while 22 percent cited higher National Insurance contributions as a reason for cutting back. In total, around a fifth of organisations reported putting a freeze on recruitment. The findings coincide with official data from the ONS, which confirms continued weakness in the labour market. According to Reed’s own figures, job postings on its platform were down 18 percent year on year in August, while applications fell by 25 percent despite a modest rise in advertised salaries of 1.4 percent. (more…)

Return to office policies now more common, but raise people’s expectation of better workplaces

Return to office policies now more common, but raise people’s expectation of better workplaces

by • Flexible working, News, Property, Workplace

The news that Microsoft has introduced a formal hybrid working policy has sparked the usual pointless to and fro on social media about return to office policies, but it would seem for a growing number of firms and their employees, the debate is overThe news that Microsoft has introduced a formal hybrid working policy has sparked the usual pointless to and fro on social media about return to office policies, but it would seem for a growing number of firms and their employees, the debate is over. According to new global research from JLL, 72 percent of employees now view attendance requirements in a positive light, but this shift comes with heightened expectations for workplace quality, flexibility and wellbeing. (more…)

Large companies see slowdown in adoption of AI tools

Large companies see slowdown in adoption of AI tools

by • AI, News

Drawing on the US Census Bureau’s fortnightly survey of more than one million firms, the research shows a downward trend in reported adoption of AI tools among businesses with 250 or more employeesNew analysis from Apollo Academy suggests that large organisations may be losing momentum in their use of artificial intelligence tools. Drawing on the US Census Bureau’s fortnightly survey of more than one million firms, the research shows a downward trend in reported adoption among businesses with 250 or more employees. The survey asks firms whether they have used AI tools in the previous two weeks, including machine learning, natural language processing, virtual agents and voice recognition. While overall use of AI across the economy has grown steadily in recent years, the latest figures indicate that the largest companies are no longer leading the charge. Instead, their adoption rates appear to have stalled or declined slightly. (more…)

A third of employees are quietly sabotaging workplace AI

A third of employees are quietly sabotaging workplace AI

by • AI, News

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…)

Councils discover hundreds of staff secretly hold second full-time jobs

Councils discover hundreds of staff secretly hold second full-time jobs

by • Flexible working, News

At least 288 local authority employees have been caught working second full-time jobs since 2020, often without informing their councils, according to new dataAt least 288 local authority employees have been caught working second full-time jobs since 2020, often without informing their employer, according to new findings from Witan Solicitors. The figures, obtained through Freedom of Information requests to more than 300 councils in England, show that 46 staff were either dismissed or formally disciplined after being discovered to have taken on additional full-time roles. So-called “overemployment” is a growing trend on platforms such as TikTok and Reddit, where users share tips on how to juggle multiple jobs undetected. Common tactics include the use of “mouse jigglers” to simulate activity and strategies for avoiding documentation that could attract attention. (more…)

Redefining the modern workplace: flexibility, zoning, and employee wellbeing

Redefining the modern workplace: flexibility, zoning, and employee wellbeing

by • News

The modern workplace is evolving faster than ever. Traditional layouts of rows of desks and enclosed cubicles are giving way to offices designed around flexibility, collaboration, and employee wellbeingThe modern workplace is evolving faster than ever. Traditional layouts of rows of desks and enclosed cubicles are giving way to offices designed around flexibility, collaboration, and employee wellbeing. For organisations seeking to stay ahead, the key lies in thoughtful workspace zoning—creating adaptable environments that respond to how people actually work today. One of the most significant trends shaping office design is flexibility. Work patterns have changed: teams collaborate in bursts, focus deeply in concentrated periods, and switch between in-person and digital modes throughout the day. Workspaces that can transform to meet these changing needs without major disruption are becoming essential. Mobile partitions and modular systems allow offices to create temporary or permanent zones that can adapt in real time, supporting a mix of focused work, collaboration, and social interaction. (more…)

The power of play: how pool and table tennis can transform the workplace

The power of play: how pool and table tennis can transform the workplace

by • Company news, Wellbeing

While workplace wellness programmes and flexible policies have their place, one of the most simple and effective interventions is often overlooked: playWorkplaces are under growing pressure to support both productivity and well-being. Hybrid schedules, long desk hours and rising stress levels mean organisations are rethinking what the office should provide. While wellness programmes and flexible policies have their place, one of the most simple and effective interventions is often overlooked: play. Games like pool and table tennis may once have been dismissed as gimmicks, but today they are increasingly recognised as part of a serious workplace strategy. Far from being distractions, they support movement, collaboration, mental health and focus – all of which are critical in a modern knowledge economy. (more…)

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