Search Results for: pandemic

Pandemic highlights precarious reality of workplace legislation

Pandemic highlights precarious reality of workplace legislation

by • Comment, Legal news

precarious workplace Less than a week on from the Budget, and already the government’s emergency measures to respond to covid-19 feel like they belong to another crisis. While attention this weekend has rightly focused on how our health services and older people can be supported, we also need urgently to revisit the impact on the workplace and especially how we’ll support the many millions of workers who will find themselves off work – sick or in self-isolation – over the coming months. (more…)

Office utilisation reaches equilibrium, and demands a rethink of workplace strategy

Office utilisation reaches equilibrium, and demands a rethink of workplace strategy

by • News, Property, Workplace design

The British Council for Offices (BCO) has published a new report which claims that while office utilisation rates have stabilised, there has been a fundamental shift in how offices are usedThe British Council for Offices (BCO) has published a new report which claims that while office utilisation rates have stabilised, there has been a fundamental shift in how offices are used, with major implications for developers, investors and occupiers. The report, authored by Nigel Oseland of Workplace Unlimited, shows that the long-standing benchmark of 80 percent office utilisation is no longer fit for purpose. Post-pandemic data suggests a more realistic, but nevertheless conservative, figure of 66 percent equating to an effective density of 15 sq. m per occupant, up from the previous 12.5 sq. m. This recalibration reflects a maturing flexible working model that empowers organisations to right-size their space, reduce waste and enhance employee experience. With high-profile organisations in financial services and the public sector under the spotlight for space misalignment, the report offers timely, evidence-based guidance for the sector. (more…)

Working from home means official government stats are too flawed for economic forecasting

Working from home means official government stats are too flawed for economic forecasting

by • Flexible working, News

A new independent review has sharply criticised the Office for National Statistics (ONS), warning that widespread working from home is undermining the quality of UK economic dataA new independent review has sharply criticised the Office for National Statistics (ONS), warning that widespread working from home is undermining the quality of UK economic data, according to a report in The Daily Telegraph. The review, led by Sir Robert Devereux, a former senior civil servant, highlights how current working practices are weakening the agency’s ability to deliver accurate and timely statistics. Despite mounting concerns, many ONS staff continue to work from home full-time, with internal resistance to returning to office-based routines. (more…)

Study claims that working from home can significantly boost productivity

Study claims that working from home can significantly boost productivity

by • Flexible working, News

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…)

The pace of office downsizing appears to be slowing to a stop

The pace of office downsizing appears to be slowing to a stop

by • News, Property

The majority of organisations have already reduced their real estate footprint – but the pace of office downsizing is slowingA new report from Leesman claims that the sharp reductions in office space seen in last five years may now be levelling off. According to the Focus Forward study, which draws on data from 132 senior corporate real estate (CRE) leaders worldwide, the majority of organisations have already reduced their real estate footprint – but the pace of office downsizing is slowing. The report states that 68 percent of organisations surveyed had downsized over the previous 18 months. However, only 49 percent said they intended to reduce space in the next 18 months. Of those, just 11 percent anticipated what the report refers to as “considerable” reductions. (more…)

At home down under: hybrid working has become a way of life in Australia

At home down under: hybrid working has become a way of life in Australia

by • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing

The majority of Australian employees work from home at least part of the week, with hybrid working now embedded in organisational cultureThe majority of Australian employees now work from home at least part of the week, with hybrid working becoming embedded in organisational culture, according to a new report from the University of Melbourne and Western Sydney University. The study, Navigating the Future of Working from Home in Australia, is based on survey data collected in late 2023 and charts how working patterns have changed in the years following the pandemic. It suggests that while fully remote work remains uncommon, most employees now work from home one to three days per week and expect that flexibility to continue. (more…)

Turns out that hybrid working is indeed the new normal. For a minority of people

Turns out that hybrid working is indeed the new normal. For a minority of people

by • Flexible working, News

A new analysis from the Office for National Statistics confirms that hybrid working is now the dominant form of flexible work for many people in Great Britain.A new analysis from the Office for National Statistics confirms that hybrid working is now the dominant form of flexible work for many people in Great Britain. The figures, which cover the period from January to March 2025, show that 28 percent of working adults now combine home and on-site work on a regular basis – the highest proportion recorded since the ONS began monitoring hybrid working patterns. This compares with just 9 percent who work exclusively from home and around 55 percent who are permanently based at a single workplace. The remaining proportion are made up of those with no fixed place of work or whose work locations vary, such as mobile or site-based roles.
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How BPO enables business flexibility in rapidly changing global markets

How BPO enables business flexibility in rapidly changing global markets

by • Business, Company news

What was once viewed as a cost-cutting tool, BPO has evolved into a strategic advantage, providing businesses with the flexibility they require to remain competitive and resilient during volatile periods.Global markets are changing at an unprecedented rate due to economic uncertainty, shifting consumer behavior, and technological breakthroughs. Businesses must be agile and able to adapt to market changes. This is where Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) comes in. What was once viewed as a cost-cutting tool has evolved into a strategic advantage, providing businesses with the flexibility they require to remain competitive and resilient during volatile periods. (more…)

Employer confidence falls to record low as UK employers face rising costs and uncertainty

Employer confidence falls to record low as UK employers face rising costs and uncertainty

by • News, Workplace

The number of UK employers expecting to increase headcount in the next three months has fallen to a record low outside of the pandemicThe number of UK employers expecting to increase headcount in the next three months has fallen to a record low outside of the pandemic, as they grapple with rising employment costs and growing global uncertainties. This is according to the latest Labour Market Outlook report from the CIPD, which shows that the rate of employers expecting to increase headcount has fallen sharply among large private sector employers, and in retail in particular. In response, the CIPD is urging the government to closely consult with employers and business bodies to limit the potential impact the Employment Rights Bill could have on employer’s hiring plans as businesses face mounting external pressures. (more…)

Co-working spaces bring a whole range of benefits for employees and communities

Co-working spaces bring a whole range of benefits for employees and communities

by • Comment, Flexible working, Property, Workplace design

Today’s co-working spaces have evolved into something more powerful – particularly in a world still reshuffling office work practices in the wake of the COVID pandemic.When you think of co-working spaces – where workers from different industries come together to share a convenient workplace – you might picture a group of young freelancers hunched over laptops. But today’s co-working spaces have evolved into something more powerful – particularly in a world still reshuffling office work practices in the wake of the COVID pandemic. As workplaces adapt to new ways of operating, from hybrid to “digital nomadism”, co-working spaces can do more than simply offer flexibility. They can support workers’ wellbeing and work–life balance by enhancing a sense of community, building trust and new friendships, and encouraging continuous learning. (more…)

Remote work can boost innovation, but culture eats it for breakfast

Remote work can boost innovation, but culture eats it for breakfast

by • Flexible working, News

The effects of remote work on innovation can vary dramatically depending on the cultural context of a country, according to new research by Durham University Business School.The effects of remote work on innovation can vary dramatically depending on the cultural context of a country, according to new research by Durham University Business School. Analysing data from over 8,000 firms across 21 countries, the study suggests that remote working significantly enhances innovation in cultural contexts characterised by low power distance, high indulgence, and notably, short-term orientation. It found that companies based in European countries, like Lithuania, Latvia and Hungary, experienced far greater innovation gains from flexible working compared to companies in more hierarchical and long-term planning cultures such as the Middle East and African region. (more…)

Negative feelings about work continue to grow, especially for managers

Negative feelings about work continue to grow, especially for managers

by • AI, Flexible working, News, Technology, Wellbeing

People are becoming increasingly disengaged from work at a time when technological change is demanding more from them than everThe State of the Global Workplace: 2025 Report from Gallup frames a stark warning to business leaders and policymakers: people around the world are becoming increasingly disengaged from work at a time when technological change is demanding more from them than ever before. As artificial intelligence (AI) accelerates across industries, transforming everything from operations to communication, the human foundations of the workplace—employee engagement and wellbeing—are showing signs of deep strain. (more…)

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