Search Results for: real estate

What we may be missing about IBM’s decision on flexible working

What we may be missing about IBM’s decision on flexible working 0

by • Comment, Flexible working, Property, Workplace design

In May, the Wall Street Journal reported that IBM had announced that it was obliging a significant number of its staff to give up on remote working and instead move back to corporate offices, many of them regional hubs. Although we had been aware of the change in policy since February, the issue only went viral as a result of the WSJ story. Comparisons were quickly made with Yahoo’s poorly received decision to summon staff back to its corporate HQ in 2013 and commentators expressed dismay that such a major corporation would be willing to return to the command and control structures of a previous era, especially given its sector and track record of encouraging flexible working. What such commentary missed was a particular nuance of the story that might suggest this is more of a continuation of existing IBM policy than they have been given credit for.

More →

CoreNet Global to explore ‘Transcending Boundaries’ at EMEA Summit

CoreNet Global to explore ‘Transcending Boundaries’ at EMEA Summit 0

by • Company news, Events, Insight promotion

The CoreNet Global EMEA Summit will return to London in September 2017 for the fifth time, bringing together leading figures from the corporate real estate (CRE) profession to discuss how CRE can add value and be a true strategic advisor in today’s dynamic, rapidly changing environment. Under the theme Blurring the Lines: Transcending Boundaries, the summit will explore a range of shifts that demand transformational thinking and integrated solutions. In a world of continual and disruptive change, the summit will assist in identifying how CRE professionals can transcend traditional boundaries to uncover new opportunities. The three-day event will provide a wide variety of engaging and educational sessions, including keynote presentations from some of the profession’s most innovative thinkers, interactive seminars where attendees will be able to test new technologies and learn from one another’s experiences, networking sessions and dedicated teaching workshops.

More →

Commercial property giant acquires controlling stake in London based flexible office provider

Commercial property giant acquires controlling stake in London based flexible office provider 0

by • Company news, Flexible working, Property

While we should never read too much into a single piece of business, the news that one of the world’s largest property investors is buying a young and still growing British flexible office provider is surely a sign of things to come. As Blackstone, a private equity giant with £140 billion of real estate assets worldwide acquires a controlling stake in The Office Group for £500 million, we must view the deal in the context of a market in which the most dynamic players are WeWork and its contemporaries. The Office Group has grown from seven buildings to thirty-six since it was founded in 2003 and provides flexible office and coworking space to start-ups, freelancers, small businesses and increasingly, corporates such as Facebook, Dropbox and British Gas.

Technology that creates a virtual office is biggest catalyst of change in the workplace

Technology that creates a virtual office is biggest catalyst of change in the workplace 0

by • Facilities management, Flexible working, News, Technology, Workplace, Workplace design

Companies are increasingly using sophisticated technology offerings as a way to attract and retain talent, as faced with a competitive hiring environment, and rising occupancy costs they must create a user experience that makes employees more efficient and effective and the office the preferred place to work. This is according to CBRE Research’s latest Global Prime Office Occupancy Costs report (registration needed) which found – not uniquely – that technology is the biggest catalyst of change in the workplace today, as mobile devices, virtual networks, videoconferencing and cloud storage create a seamless transition from the physical workplace of the 20th century to the virtual workplace of the 21st century. This technology is also being used by occupiers to understand and manage their occupancy patterns in sophisticated ways and create an environment that maximises employee efficiency.

More →

Workplace wellbeing is now embedded in the very bricks and mortar of the building

Workplace wellbeing is now embedded in the very bricks and mortar of the building 0

by • Comment, Wellbeing, Workplace design

For some time now, the debate about how the workplace adds to the bottom line of an organisation has focused increasingly on the subject of wellbeing. There are plenty of good reasons for this, with the issue subject to both the push of employers as well as the pull of employees. Everybody thinks it’s a good idea and it’s easy to see why. Wellbeing is about business ethics, recruitment and retention, productivity, physical and mental health, work-life balance, absenteeism and the management of a flexible workforce, and all the other things that underpin the success and health of an organisation and each individual. It suggests a more positive approach to the workplace than either health & safety or occupational health, both of which remain disciplines more focused on reducing risk and harm than promoting positive outcomes, as is the case with wellbeing. Neither is it about something as raw and nebulous as productivity, which remains difficult and even impossible to measure for knowledge and creative workers and only offers a single dimension on a key workplace issue anyway.

More →

Google submits revised plans for vast new campus in London

Google submits revised plans for vast new campus in London 0

by • News, Property, Technology, Workplace design

Google has submitted a revised application for planning permission to Camden Council for its proposed £600 million King’s Cross Campus in London. This building will be the first, wholly owned and designed Google building outside the United States. Construction on the purpose-built 11-storey building, comprising of more than 1 million square feet, of which Google will occupy 650,000 sqft, will commence in 2018. The building, designed by Heatherwick Studio and Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) will feature a natural theme, with all materials sourced through Google’s healthy materials programme. This new building, combined with the current building at 6 Pancras Square and an additional third building, will create a Google campus with the potential to house 7,000 Google employees. The new building is being developed from the ground up and will contribute to the Knowledge Quarter and King’s Cross’s growing knowledge-based economy. The original plans for the building from 2013 by AHMM had been put on hold, although some features such as a running track remain.

More →

Brexit uncertainty fails to impact London office demand, as occupiers push ahead with relocations

Brexit uncertainty fails to impact London office demand, as occupiers push ahead with relocations 0

by • News, Property

Since the announcement in June last year that Britain would be leaving the EU as a result of Brexit, there has been a widespread assumption that occupier demand, and hence wider market confidence in the commercial property market, would be knocked. Yet that does not seem to be the case, according to a study by real estate  advisers Knight Frank, who have tracked financial and TMT requirements over the last 12 months, and compared them to key years in the property cycle. The study claims  that the property market has mirrored the wider  UK economy, which has proved resilient following the vote to leave the EU. Firms have reported a shortage of skilled workers across a range of industries including IT, accountancy and engineering. Demand for staff is growing within all sectors and all regions of the UK, but there are fewer and fewer people available to fill the vacancies. A survey of UK CEO’s conducted by PWC at the start of the year reported that six in every ten respondents expected an increase in company headcount during the course of the year. Furthermore, a number of large international firms have acquired new offices, and many companies expanded across Central London including Expedia, WeWork, HSBC Digital and Zoopla.

More →

Reflection on facilities management and the people I’ve met along the way

Reflection on facilities management and the people I’ve met along the way 0

by • Comment, Facilities management

facilities management there and back againI’m in reflective mood. Yesterday was #WorldFMDay, I thought I should reflect on my affection for, and criticism of, Facilities Management (or Facility Management). It is merely one person’s perspective. But it may provide a viewpoint, perhaps useful (or not) for the younger professionals joining our sector. There are some great, varied, and sometimes well-paid careers ahead for people who pick up the education and variety of skills needed in today’s FM market. And to keep my friends happy, I’ll take the widest definition of FM that you may find! It is different in almost every organisation, and only limited by what one chooses to add to the FM portfolio. And the confidence shown in FM by the leadership of that organisation. That confidence is in the people who lead, manage and deliver FM – and there are some great leaders, managers and ‘do-ers’ around the world. It is a truly global sector.

More →

A mixed forecast for the accountancy profession: Brexit highs and digital lows

A mixed forecast for the accountancy profession: Brexit highs and digital lows 0

by • Comment, Flexible working, Technology

The accountancy profession is facing an uncertain future in the traditional sense. The question of automation is on everyone’s minds, as are the complexities of Brexit. On the one hand, news from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) suggests accountants will be in high demand during the Brexit process, on the other, gloomy reports of job automation suggest accountants will be one of the professions hardest hit in Britain’s long-term future. The implications of Brexit are yet to be uncovered. Clearly, Brexit will be a complex process and businesses will undoubtedly require the strategic insight and rigour of the accountancy profession. We have accepted that exiting the EU will likely be a complicated drawn-out process. The effects on business will be bound up in complex trade deals, government policies and the ratification of EU laws affecting business in the UK.

More →

A nuanced approach to the design of the coworking office

A nuanced approach to the design of the coworking office 0

by • Comment, Flexible working, Workplace design

coworking spaceThe coworking segment of the real estate business is poised for exponential growth in the coming years, as the number of market players around the world today continues to increase. With humble beginnings in an economic recession, the shared workspace trend has captivated both the start-up entrepreneur and the remote corporate worker, alike. This success is due, in large part, to the fact that the coworking model provides an opportunity for a wealth of amenities that go far beyond the traditional office’s standard desk space. These shared, multi-functional facilities are carefully designed to be both vibrant and personable, with endless opportunities for community collaboration and innovation.

More →

Three workplace managers walk into a bar … and the rest is no joke

Three workplace managers walk into a bar … and the rest is no joke 0

by • Facilities management, Features, Technology, Workplace, Workplace design

This is a long tale, but a worthwhile one to tell, and something that many of you will relate to, especially if you have anything to do with workplace design or management. Three managers walk into a bar. This is always a good place to start. They each have gender-neutral names, so I’ll leave you to work out whether they may be male or female. Not that it even matters in this context. Frankie gets there first. “Hi. Large glass of wine please. What do you have?” The bartender pauses, then replies: “We have … red … or … um … white. Um … oh, and fizzy and pink”. Frankie thinks for a moment, dismisses the idea of a cocktail or a short, then orders a beer. It’s a corporate training centre after all. What would you expect in a place like this? An extensive wine list?

More →

Built environment sectors ignoring the potential of smart cities and big data

Built environment sectors ignoring the potential of smart cities and big data 0

by • Cities, Facilities management, News, Property

There is little or no evidence of the built environment, real estate and construction sectors engaging directly with the smart city agenda, according to a new RICS Research Trust report by University of Reading academics. The research, which examined four case studies (Bristol, Milton Keynes, Amsterdam and Taipei) found that less than a quarter of UK cities had an smart city action plan. Of those that did, the main focus in the smart city case studies is on open data. As a result, city residents are not benefitting from a clear strategy for smart cities according to the report Smart Cities, Big Data and the Built Environment: What’s Required?

More →

«< 42 43 44 45 46 >»