Search Results for: productivity

Half of SMEs using AI with limited impact on headcount (so far)

Half of SMEs using AI with limited impact on headcount (so far)

More than half of UK firms are now using AI according to new research from the British Chambers of Commerce, marking a sharp increase in adoption but with little immediate effect on workforce sizeMore than half of UK firms are now using artificial intelligence, according to new research from the British Chambers of Commerce, marking a sharp increase in adoption but with little immediate effect on workforce size. The survey, carried out in partnership with Atos, suggests that 54 percent of businesses are actively using AI. This represents a notable rise from previous BCC findings, which showed adoption at 35 percent in 2025, 25 percent in 2024 and 23 percent in 2023. (more…)

The British seem more worried about robots than anybody else

The British seem more worried about robots than anybody else

British adults are more anxious about robots than people in any other major economy, according to a new global studyBritish adults are more anxious about robots than people in any other major economy, according to a new global study which suggests the unease may stem from a lack of exposure to the technology in everyday life. The research, published by technology firm Hexagon, is based on a survey 18,000 people across nine countries for its Robot Generation report. It found that 52 percent of adults in the UK say they worry something might go wrong when they think about interacting with robots. The global average is 42 percent, while in South Korea the figure is just 29 percent. (more…)

Rebuilding belonging: how offices can overcome loneliness  

Rebuilding belonging: how offices can overcome loneliness  

In the coming weeks it will be six years since the UK entered lockdown and working life changed overnight. While much has stabilised, the impact of the pandemic still shapes how people experience work, particularly when it comes to connection and belonging. Loneliness is widely recognised as a growing societal issue and government data shows that around a quarter of adults in Great Britain report feeling lonely at least some of the time, rising significantly among younger age groups. Hybrid working has not created this challenge but it has highlighted that for many people the workplace was a consistent source of social interaction. (more…)

Most people managers would prefer not to manage people

Most people managers would prefer not to manage people

More than two-thirds of managers would rather not be managers at all, according to a YouGov survey commissioned by SafetyCultureMore than two-thirds of managers would rather not be managers at all, according to a YouGov survey commissioned by SafetyCulture. According to the poll, 69 percent of team leaders in frontline sectors across the UK and Ireland would prefer not to manage people if there was no impact to their salary or benefits. Younger generations are the least willing to be managers. Nearly three-quarters of Generation Z and Millennial managers (73 percent) say they’d rather be individual workers compared to 65 percent of people aged 50 or older. (more…)

AI will either save work or destroy it. Apparently.

AI will either save work or destroy it. Apparently.

It's too early to know what precise impact AI will have on jobs, writes Jo Sutherland. Fortunately for us, the future is still ours to shapeAs someone who works at the intersection of communications and responsible AI, I spend a lot of time thinking about how emerging technologies are explained, sold, feared, embraced and misunderstood. Nowhere is that more palpable than in conversations about AI and the future of work, where certainty is sometimes projected before it’s earned. Over the past few months alone, taking part in debates at both the Westminster Employment Forum and the University of Cambridge, I’ve been struck by just how wide the spectrum of opinion still is. Depending on who has the floor, AI is framed either as a magical productivity fix or an existential threat to jobs. The reality probably lies somewhere in the middle. (more…)

Lack of innovation continues to hamper small business and startups

Lack of innovation continues to hamper small business and startups

Small business innovation in the UK has fallen for the fourth consecutive year despite record levels of entrepreneurial ambition,Small business innovation in the UK has fallen for the fourth consecutive year despite record levels of entrepreneurial ambition, according to the latest State of Small Business Britain report from the Enterprise Research Centre. The annual study draws together findings from a range of business surveys and shows that 36 percent of working age adults are now starting, running or planning to launch a business. This is the highest level recorded since the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor began tracking activity in 1999. Early stage entrepreneurial activity has doubled since the early 2000s and has stabilised at around 12 percent. (more…)

AI adoption exposes generational divide in management, research finds

AI adoption exposes generational divide in management, research finds

KEDGE Business School has published new research suggesting that artificial intelligence (AI) is already reshaping management practice, but that a strong generational divide is emergingKEDGE Business School has published new research suggesting that artificial intelligence is already reshaping management practice, but that a strong generational divide is emerging in how leaders use the technology. The findings come from an OpinionWay survey carried out in October 2025 among managers, and point to younger leaders adopting AI at a significantly faster pace than their older counterparts. While AI tools such as ChatGPT are now widely used across the profession, the study suggests that managers under 40 are far more likely to integrate AI into day-to-day leadership decisions, while older managers remain more cautious and selective. (more…)

Artificial intelligence appears to cut more jobs than it creates

Artificial intelligence appears to cut more jobs than it creates

Artificial intelligence appears to be contributing to a net loss of jobs, according to a new analysis of how organisations are adopting the technology across their operations.Artificial intelligence appears to be contributing to a net loss of jobs, according to a new analysis of how organisations are adopting the technology across their operations. Research by Morgan Stanley, based on responses from nearly 1,000 companies that have been using AI for at least a year, suggests that British firms have shed more roles than they have created as a direct result of AI deployment. The study indicates a net reduction of around 8 percent of roles in the UK over the past twelve months, a higher figure than reported in comparable surveys of companies in the United States, Germany, Japan and Australia. (more…)

Beating Blue Monday: International Workplace launches free occupational health and wellbeing training for SMEs

Beating Blue Monday: International Workplace launches free occupational health and wellbeing training for SMEs

International Workplace is doing its bit to ease the New Year’s blues today by equipping small businesses with the tools to champion mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.International Workplace is doing its bit to ease the New Year’s blues today by equipping small businesses with the tools to champion mental health and wellbeing in the workplace. ‘Blue Monday’ – the third Monday in January each year – is often cited as the most challenging day of the year for the UK workforce. With the festive season over, wintery weather taking its toll, and a long wait for payday, it’s a time when a little extra support from managers can make all the difference. (more…)

New research highlights entrenched UK regional inequalities and policy hurdles

New research highlights entrenched UK regional inequalities and policy hurdles

New analysis from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) and partner universities suggests regional inequalities across the UK remain deep, persistent and shaped by a combination of economic, social and mobility factorsNew analysis from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) and partner universities suggests regional inequalities across the UK remain deep, persistent and shaped by a combination of economic, social and mobility factors, according to a symposium of research published this month. Researchers say disparities in earnings, productivity, educational opportunity and life outcomes continue to vary sharply between regions, with many places that were struggling two decades ago remaining comparatively disadvantaged today. (more…)

The coming year will see a recalibration of the workplace, report suggests

The coming year will see a recalibration of the workplace, report suggests

WORKTECH Academy has published a new trends report setting out what it describes as the key forces reshaping work, workplace and workforce strategy in 2026.WORKTECH Academy has published a new trends report setting out what it describes as the key forces reshaping work, workplace and workforce strategy in 2026. The report, The World of Work in 2026, claims to identify twenty trends grouped into four “megatrends”: Human Performance Reset, Workplaces Without Walls, Sustainable Growth and Back to Basics. Together, they suggest organisations are moving away from short-term fixes and “spectacle”, and towards building long-term resilience through adaptability and human capability. (more…)

Fashion has an unexpected influence on commercial interior design

Fashion has an unexpected influence on commercial interior design

Fashion and interior design have always moved in parallel, reflecting both personal identity and the emerging needs of societyFashion and interior design have always moved in parallel, reflecting both personal identity and the emerging needs of society. For example, corporate dress codes shifted to be more relaxed during the Covid-19 pandemic, coinciding with the increase in remote and hybrid working patterns. This relationship is more visible than ever, as the aesthetics of today’s fashion week runways, and the re-emergence of mid-century design come full circle to influence the look and feel of our commercial office spaces. (more…)