Search Results for: people

Book review: Workspace Made Easy

Book review: Workspace Made Easy

Workspace Made Easy by Kursty Groves and Neil Usher offers a step-by- step-guide through the complexities of creating and implement a workplace strategy from first principles through to occupying a space and changing it over timeThere’s a dog-eared, yellowing paperback on my bookshelf called Understanding Offices. Written by Joanna Eley and Alexi Marmot, it dates from 1995. It is a handbook for everybody who needed to know how to develop a workplace strategy during the infant phase of the digital and cultural revolution of the late 20th Century. I used to refer to it all the time, but now it serves mainly as a reminder of how much has changed over the past thirty years, and also how little. (more…)

Increase in social media use and ‘doomscrolling’ could affect mental health and productivity in Gen-Z workers

Increase in social media use and ‘doomscrolling’ could affect mental health and productivity in Gen-Z workers

doomscrollingNuffield Health’s 2024 ‘Healthier Nation Index’ – a survey of 8,000 UK adults has highlighted how the young workforce is more social media obsessed than ever before. The study claims that social media use has increased for Gen-Z, with 16-24-year-olds spending over two hours a day doomscrolling on social media apps like TikTok, Instagram and Facebook per day (129 minutes), which is a seven percent increase and nearly ten minutes more a day than they were last year (119 minutes). This is four times the daily recommended amount for improved wellbeing. (more…)

Connection through design: The role of office designers in fostering workplace ties

Connection through design: The role of office designers in fostering workplace ties

For office designers creating spaces that foster rich, interpersonal connections between colleagues both in-person and remote is essential.For office designers creating spaces that foster rich, interpersonal connections between colleagues both in-person and remote is essential. Design with Impact is a philosophy that can help workplaces prepare to host these meaningful interactions, cultivating a shared sense of purpose among employees. There are many ways that people connect with spaces and within spaces. Physical connection is the most fundamental, and perhaps most obvious type of workplace connection. In-person interaction allows for immediate communication, the ability to read body language, and some would argue, a more meaningful connection than any relationship that can be built over video call. (more…)

The city and the office have much to teach each other

The city and the office have much to teach each other

It’s common to hear people say that the boundaries between the traditional workplace and the outside world have become blurred but it might be closer to the truth to say that in a growing number of cases they have been eradicated and that the evolution of cities and offices is informed by a two way exchange of DNA. Whatever you might hear, these times are far from unprecedented. History has lessons for us both in terms of how we view the events of 2020 and how we might respond to them, including how we progress as a species and make our lives and the world a better place. In 1832, there was an epidemic of cholera in the UK’s towns and cities. In those with a population of 100,000 or more life expectancy was just 26 years. The reasons for this were picked up on by a government official called Edwin Chadwick as a member of the Poor Law Commission.   (more…)

Want a creative workplace? Make life difficult and chaotic for yourself

Want a creative workplace? Make life difficult and chaotic for yourself

The best time to launch a magazine about people, technology, work and the creative workplace was not March 2020. We did it anywayWe launched IN Magazine officially on the 4th of March 2020. So, this month marks some sort of anniversary. You could argue that this was the worst day in the history of mankind to launch a new magazine about people, work and workplaces and you’d probably be right. People were already not shaking hands. They had begun deserting public transport and planning for less contact with each other. Lockdown was only a couple of weeks away. (more…)

Is it fair that AI defines if you deserve a job?

Is it fair that AI defines if you deserve a job?

As AI continues to push the boundaries of what is possible, impacting not just personal endeavours but also professional pursuits, one important question emerges: is it fair that AI defines if you deserve a job?The rise of AI-driven hiring processes has undoubtedly transformed the recruitment landscape, and we know it. But is it fair that AI defines if you deserve a job? Ultimately, the answer to this question is not just a technical or logistical issue, it is a profoundly ethical one. AI (artificial intelligence) has revolutionised the way we interact with technology, increasingly permeating various aspects of our lives, from virtual assistants to complex algorithms shaping our online experiences. (more…)

How IT Simplification creates a superior Digital Employee Experience

How IT Simplification creates a superior Digital Employee Experience

Digital Employee Experience refers to the quality of employees' interactions with technology in their work environment, and as remote work becomes the norm, a seamless DEX is crucial. The workplace continues to evolve rapidly, with the shift to hybrid models now featuring heavily in employees’ expectations. Indeed, a recent global study of workers from 11 countries, including the UK, shows 44 percent of employees prefer hybrid work. This new chapter in workplace dynamics could explain Gartner’s recent research, which has shown a growing focus on the Digital Employee Experience (DEX). The findings revealed that by 2025 half of IT organisations will have a DEX strategy, up from just 20 percent in 2023. DEX refers to the quality of employees’ interactions with technology in their work environment, and as remote work becomes the norm, a seamless DEX is crucial. (more…)

Why a ‘listening culture’ could do more harm than good 

Why a ‘listening culture’ could do more harm than good 

Over the past few months, we have seen large corporates hit the headlines due to some poor business practices. Leaders from all of those companies have made statements where they accept responsibility and state they are looking to do things differently in the future. Whether it’s the statement by CEO Nick Read in light of the Post Office Horizon scandal, or Boeing CEO David Calhoun answering questions in the US Senate, one word that keeps cropping up is ‘listening’. (more…)

Nearly all CEOs now say they work across different locations

Nearly all CEOs now say they work across different locations

CEOs are leading by example when it comes to hybrid working, with nine in 10 (93 percent) saying they have personally adopted flexible working patternsCEOs are leading by example when it comes to hybrid working, with nine in 10 (93 percent) saying they have personally adopted flexible working patterns according to a new poll. The survey of more than 500 CEOs by International Workplace Group suggests that the vast majority now split their working time between locations. Just 7 percent said they spend five days a week working from a central office. (more…)

Recovery Journey: Starting Fresh After Addiction

Recovery Journey: Starting Fresh After Addiction

Recovery is not just a destination; it’s a continuous journey that requires perseverance, commitment, and courage. Those taking the brave step to start over after addiction often finds themselves at the threshold of transformation met with challenges yet ushered into a period of profound personal growth. Embracing sobriety means more than abstaining from substances — it involves redefining one’s life and identity. Below, we delve into the various aspects of navigating the winding road to recovery and sustaining sobriety. (more…)

Crown estate announces details of latest London commercial property developments

Crown estate announces details of latest London commercial property developments

The Crown Estate has unveiled details of its pipeline of commercial property developments in London’s West End.The Crown Estate has unveiled details of its pipeline of commercial property developments in London’s West End. According to The Crown Estate, the first three projects, which have a Gross Development Value of over £430 million, will deliver 250,000 sq ft of office, leisure and retail space in the heart of the Capital, which it claims will help to stimulate the renewal of the West End, attract global investment and contribute to the wider success of London. (more…)

How AI will transform the way we design and manage the places we work

How AI will transform the way we design and manage the places we work

The future of work is here. It's AI-powered, human-centered, and brimming with possibility. Are you ready to shape it?The integration of Artificial Intelligence into the workplace is not just a technological shift; it’s a fundamental reimagining of how we work, interact, and manage our professional environments. As AI capabilities rapidly evolve, they promise to transform every aspect of workplace design and management, from physical layouts to organizational structures and employee experiences. (more…)