January 7, 2022
Search Results for: productivity
January 5, 2022
‘Great Resignation’ offers a one off opportunity to rethink our relationship with work
by Pip White • Comment, Flexible working, Technology, Wellbeing
After nearly two turbulent years, which for many knowledge workers have been dominated by a ground-hog day like existence, people are looking for change. This is only natural as workers around the world are re-evaluating their priorities, reigniting their passions, or simply looking for something new. This has led to a mini-exodus from businesses, which is now being dubbed the ‘Great Resignation’. (more…)
January 5, 2022
Warning over worker welfare on 2022’s first day ‘not back in office’
by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing
The 4th January was the first working day of 2022 for many employees, but due to ongoing working from home restrictions the majority will not be attending their usual workplaces. According to the latest research from the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM), more than half of office workers had expected to be back in the office today, and three quarters would have been back by the end of this week. (more…)
January 4, 2022
Hybrid working will demand leaders develop new communication skills
by David Mills • Comment, Flexible working
Keeping on top of communication barriers in the business world can feel like an endless game of Whac-A-Mole, especially now in the new era of hybrid working. The usual culprits are well-known by now: patchy WiFi connections, crashing computer programmes, cloud syncing issues, important emails sneaking into spam folders – the list goes on. All can impede our ability to get the job done. (more…)
December 20, 2021
Startups fuelling growth in demand for flexible offices
by Neil Franklin • Cities, News, Property
According to data from The Instant Group 584,097 companies have been registered in the UK since the start of 2021 – this equates to 1,781 per day. The most companies registered in 2021 so far have been in London, Birmingham, and Manchester. The growth in start-ups has fuelled an increase in demand for flexible offices across the UK’s cities, with large proportional increases outside London. Requirements for coworking and serviced offices has grown significantly in cities such as Bristol (41 percent), Manchester (28 percent), and Reading (27 percent) over the past year. (more…)
December 15, 2021
Majority of UK workers would consider quitting their job if hybrid working was axed
by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News, Working lives
More than half (51 percent) of UK workers who currently have the choice to mix remote and office working would consider leaving their company if this hybrid option was removed, according to new research released by Microsoft in conjunction with YouGov (fieldwork undertaken 7th – 15th October 2021).
(more…)
December 7, 2021
Negative digital experiences contributing to the Great Resignation
by Jayne Smith • News, Technology, Working lives
According to a new report findings unreliable IT service and equipment (in-office or remote) was the third most influential factor for employee turnover or burnout, behind poor salary and an unhealthy work culture. Almost 20 percent of all respondents would opt to leave their job because of a poor IT experience. The Digital Sabotage & The Great Resignation report from Nexthink claims that the digital employee experience has implications for productivity, talent referrals, employee retention and customer satisfaction. (more…)
December 6, 2021
Hybrid working success relies on three key factors
by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News
Organisations must focus on equipping people managers, who are the stewards of sustainable performance, with the right skillsets to ensure they and their teams succeed in the hybrid working world, according to Gartner, Inc. To achieve this, Gartner recommends organisations pursue three tactics to ensure managers are prepared to lead their teams in this setting. (more…)
November 29, 2021
Winds of change are blowing through the office
by Ben Capper • Comment, Wellbeing, Workplace design
Whilst driving through Zürich in a hailstorm I passed a Mercedes with a plastic bin liner taped over a missing window. Two thoughts struck me. First: this must be the result of the owner locking himself out of the car, as car crime is a fictional event in Switzerland (bike theft is preferred). The second was how utterly pointless this flapping piece of plastic served as an attempt to seal the broken window. (more…)
November 26, 2021
Doing what you love may not automatically make you happier at work
by Dr Tracy Brower • Features, Wellbeing, Workplace
There is a classic saying which has shaped our job choices for years: “Do what you love, the money will follow.” New research suggests this may be true, although not in the way it was originally conceived. The typical logic train has suggested job interest shapes satisfaction and, in turn, satisfaction may drive better performance. However, new research published in the Journal of Vocational Behavior provides some fresh perspectives. It turns out satisfaction has many facets. While interest is one component in job satisfaction, it is not the primary component. Elements such as the organization, relationships with colleagues, leadership and compensation are actually more important than interest in predicting satisfaction. (more…)
November 24, 2021
Brits reluctant to take a sick day during the pandemic
by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing, Working lives















British workers took the seventh lowest number of sick days in Europe last year, according to new 

January 7, 2022
The way we talk about hybrid working can reflect a failure of imagination
by Paul Jervis-Heath • Comment, Flexible working, Workplace design