Search Results for: pay ratio

The UK workplace sector reacts to the Spring Budget 2023

The UK workplace sector reacts to the Spring Budget 2023

by • Environment, News, Property, Workplace

The workplace sector in the UK has been reacting to the announcements in the Spring budgetToday the UK’s Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt presented his Spring Budget to the House of Commons. In it he announced what her referred to as his ‘four pillars’ of industrial and productivity strategy, namely: ‘Enterprise’, ‘Employment’, ‘Education’, and ‘Everywhere’. Perhaps the headline element of this announcement was the creation of twelve new investment zones across the UK as well as incentives for older workers to return to the country’s patchy workforce. This includes£63m for programmes to encourage retirees over 50 back to work, “returnerships” and ‘skills boot camps’. Another headline for the workplace sector was the offer of improved childcare arrangements, especially for the parents of very young children, who will see 30 hours of free childcare expanded to include one and two-year-olds. (more…)

Only one in eight office occupiers think their property aligns with their business objectives

Only one in eight office occupiers think their property aligns with their business objectives

by • Facilities management, News, Property

Only around 14 percent of office occupiers believe their existing workspace portfolios align completely with their business objectives,Only around 14 percent of office occupiers believe their existing workspace portfolios align completely with their business objectives, according to a new report on the future of the office by the Urban Land Institute and The Instant Group. The ‘state of flux’ identified in the report suggests that while the office is ‘here to stay’, the sector is bracing itself for a profound shift.  Two thirds (62 percent) of office landlords expect a decrease in capital values with the current valuation model and less than 2 percent of asset owners feel they have the required capex to respond to occupier and ESG legislation-related requirements. (more…)

Progress depends on heterodox thought and difficult questions

Progress depends on heterodox thought and difficult questions

by • Comment, Facilities management, Wellbeing, Workplace design

Between the 9th and 13th Centuries, the world’s intellectual centre and the source of much of its progress, discovery and achievement was Baghdad. This was the Muslim Golden Age and at its core was the House of Wisdom, established by the Caliph Harun al-Rashid. At one point, this library housed the largest collection of books on Earth and drew the greatest minds in the world to share ideas, innovate and explore ancient sources of science and wisdom from Greek and Persian texts. Muslim, Jewish, Christian and atheist scholars worked together to advance human understanding until a slow decline culminated with a later Caliph declaring that its diversity of thought should bow to a literal interpretation of the Quran and Hadith.

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Less than a third of businesses know how energy efficient their office is

Less than a third of businesses know how energy efficient their office is

by • Environment, Facilities management, News

A surprisingly high proportion of UK businesses are unaware of new environmental legislation concerning the energy efficiency of their buildings, or how even how energy efficient they are in the first placeA surprisingly high proportion of UK businesses are unaware of new environmental legislation concerning the energy efficiency of their buildings, or even how energy efficient they are in the first place, according to a new survey commissioned by Irwin Mitchell: Redefining the Office – A report on office occupier trends in 2023.  The new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) legislation means that from 1st April 2023, property owners must not continue to let properties that have an EPC rating of F or G (unless they have an exemption) and all let properties will need to have a minimum EPC rating of E. (more…)

Firms get that people want flexible working, but are still slow to act

Firms get that people want flexible working, but are still slow to act

by • Flexible working, News

Workers are increasingly demanding autonomy and flexible working options, but employers remain slow to respond, with only a small percentage increasing the number of flexible or remote rolesWorkers are increasingly demanding autonomy and flexible working options, but employers remain slow to respond, with only a small percentage increasing the number of flexible or remote roles, according to a new poll.  Based on a survey of 4,500 people including 500 small and medium-sized business owners, Sonovate’s report, ‘The Future World of Work’ [registration] claims that although 70 percent of businesses acknowledge that the most skilled people will only work under conditions that favour them, they had done little to enable employees to work more flexibly and reduce outgoings. (more…)

Most US employees don’t believe remote working colleagues are really working

Most US employees don’t believe remote working colleagues are really working

by • Flexible working, News

Only 24 percent of people trust their remote working colleagues to get work done from home, according to a new poll from EnvoyOnly 24 percent of people trust their remote working colleagues to get work done from home, according to a new poll from Envoy. However, the latest edition of its Return to the Workplace survey also suggests that 94 percent of workers believe their managers trust them to do their work from anywhere, home or the office. And the older the worker, the greater the confidence they have in expressing such a belief. Only 57 percent of ‘Gen Z’ feel strongly that they have their manager’s trust compared with 71 percent of ‘Millennials’ and 77 percent of ‘Boomers’. (Wot? No Gen X? – Ed) (more…)

Four day week pilot results are very encouraging indeed, say researchers

Four day week pilot results are very encouraging indeed, say researchers

by • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing

Businesses that adopted a four day week as part of a pilot programme say they are more profitable and their staff are fitter, happier and more productiveBusinesses that adopted a four day working week as part of a pilot programme say they are more profitable and their staff are fitter, happier and more productive, researchers have told MPs. A large majority of companies that took part in the pilot now plan to carry on. The programme, led in the UK by non-profit 4 Day Week Global, the UK’s 4 Day Week Campaign and think-tank Autonomy,  involved around 3,000 workers through a six-month trial of a four day week, with no loss of pay. This brings the global campaign’s total number of completed pilot participants to 91 companies and approximately 3,500 employees. (more…)

BCO specification guide updated to reflect demand for flexible, green, healthier offices

BCO specification guide updated to reflect demand for flexible, green, healthier offices

by • News, Property, Workplace design

he BCO has released an update to its specification guide, to offer advice on how to create healthier, greener offices that support changing working patternsResponding to what it claims are challenges emerging from the pandemic and the accelerating need for the built environment to respond to climate change, the British Council for Offices (BCO) has released an early update to its Guide to Specification, which provides expert advice on how designers can create healthier offices that support changing working patterns, while reducing carbon emissions.

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People will leave jobs that don’t align with their values, author claims

People will leave jobs that don’t align with their values, author claims

by • News, Workplace

Pay and benefits are no longer the only critical factors in deciding where to work, with a majority citing their employers’ values (80 percent) and commitment to the environment (76 percent) and social equality (75 percent) as key criteria, claims a survey commissioned by advocate and author Paul Polman. (more…)

Working mums feel forced to limit careers due to inflexible working practices

Working mums feel forced to limit careers due to inflexible working practices

by • Flexible working, News, Workplace

A new report claims that many working mums have felt forced to limit their careers as a result of their employer’s inflexible and outdated working policies and cultures.A new report claims that many working mums have felt forced to limit their careers as a result of their employer’s inflexible and outdated working policies and cultures. The Shift from Worker to Working Parent sponsored by WOMBA (Work, Me and the Baby) and carried out by Hult International Business School (Ashridge) interviewed working mums and dads who had recently taken extended parental leave about the experiences they faced as they transitioned to parenthood in an organisational context. (more…)

New lighting guide updated to embrace era of hybrid working

New lighting guide updated to embrace era of hybrid working

by • Facilities management, Lighting, News, Workplace design

The Society of Light and Lighting has launched the latest Lighting Guide 07 (LG7): Offices to reflect trends such as hybrid workingThe Society of Light and Lighting has launched the latest Lighting Guide 07 (LG7): Offices [paywall for non CIBSE members]. There have been considerable developments since the previous edition, published in 2015. The new guide considers hybrid working, addressing uncertainty around how office space will be used in the future. With increased hybrid working and the use of portable devices, people are spending less time at their desks and in the office. This revision of Lighting Guide 7 now includes home office lighting advice. (more…)

Flexible working and work-life balance most important features of new job roles

Flexible working and work-life balance most important features of new job roles

by • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing, Workplace

A woman breathes in deeply and looks relaxed to illustrate the issue of work-life balance and the importance of flexible workingOne in three (33 percent) employees say the most important factor to them when contemplating a move to a new job, after pay, is work-life balance, according to a new poll of 13,000 UK based employees from Hays. The survey suggests that the extent to which employees are satisfied with their work-life balance has been improving over the last three years. (more…)

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