Search Results for: remote working

Forget all the talk of Blue Monday; work is still (largely) good for us

Forget all the talk of Blue Monday; work is still (largely) good for us

blue mondaySo here it is. Blue Monday. Today. Officially the most depressing day of the year. We say ‘officially’, but like the idea of ‘Body Odour’ its common usage hides the fact that it was originally created as part of a PR campaign, in this case one for Sky’s travel channel in 2005. The whole idea of Blue Monday is couched in a pseudo-mathematical equation which includes factors like the weather, levels of debt, time since Christmas, low levels of motivation and, apparently, an unspecified variable known simply as ‘D’. (more…)

Lack of space continues to  hold back a ‘return to office’

Lack of space continues to hold back a ‘return to office’

Workers are resisting the so-called return to office due to a lack of desk space, following widespread reductions by companies in the wake of CovidWorkers are resisting the so-called return to office due to a lack of desk space, following widespread reductions by companies in the wake of Covid. A fifth of workers cited a shortage of desks and facilities among their top three reasons for avoiding the office, according to a survey by real estate consultancy Remit Consulting. The firm claims that businesses may have scaled back desk numbers too aggressively after the pandemic spurred a rise in home working. (more…)

The rise of the part time office opens up a new frontier for market growth

The rise of the part time office opens up a new frontier for market growth

The part-time office offers companies the ability to rent office spaces on a part-time basis, writes David RawlenceAs businesses, large and small, continue to adapt to post-pandemic realities, the demand for flexible working solutions continues to surge. The part-time office offers companies the ability to rent office spaces on a part-time basis—often for just one to three days a week— whilst opening a unique opportunity for occupiers, landlords, operators, and investors. (more…)

Finger on the pulse: Is biometrics the future of workplace wellbeing?

Finger on the pulse: Is biometrics the future of workplace wellbeing?

For architects and designers, the trend to use wearable devices to track wellbeing in the workplace is a giftAround a third of companies already use wearables to track their team’s activity and better gauge their physical, mental and emotional wellbeing, according to Deloitte’s 2024 Global Human Capital Trends Report. Deloitte predicts that usage will increase to two thirds by 2027. Neurotechnology, which uses electronics to read brain activity and can contextualise employee behaviour and interactions, is also anticipated to ramp up dramatically in use in that timeframe, from 3 percent to 31 percent. (more…)

One in four people have turned down a job because they hated its office environment

One in four people have turned down a job because they hated its office environment

Almost a quarter (23 percent) of people say that they have turned down a job because they didn’t like the office environment, according to a new pollAlmost a quarter (23 percent) of people say that they have turned down a job because they didn’t like the office environment, according to a new poll. This rose to almost a third (32 percent) for 18 – 24-year-olds indicating the need for a high-quality office environment for the younger generation. Geographically, workers in the capital are most likely to pass on a job based on the office surroundings, with a third (32 percent) of London based workers admitting to declining a role for this reason. (more…)

US law firms make up two thirds of global law firm office leasing activity

US law firms make up two thirds of global law firm office leasing activity

Together, US cities accounted for 69 percent of overall H1 law firm office leasing activity in the world’s largest legal marketsNew York accounted for a third of all leasing activity globally in the legal sector in the first half of 2024, says Savills, equating to over 1.4 million sq ft of space, out of a total of 4.3 million sq ft across the world’s 15 largest legal markets, reflecting its position as the world’s principal legal hub. Together, US cities accounted for 69 percent of overall H1 law firm office leasing activity in the world’s largest legal markets, reflecting the dominance of American firms in the sector overall, as well as the tendency for US legal offices to have a lower occupancy density and thereby requiring more space, according to Savills. (more…)

Right to disconnect law comes into force in Australia

Right to disconnect law comes into force in Australia

 

Australia has introduced a "right to disconnect" rule, offering what is claimed to be ‘significant relief’ to employees who feel pressured to respond to work-related calls or messages outside of their official working hoursAustralia has introduced a so-called right to disconnect rule, offering what is claimed to be ‘significant relief’ to employees who feel pressured to respond to work-related calls or messages outside of their official working hours. The new legislation allows employees to ignore communications after hours without fearing repercussions from their employers. (more…)

Hybrid workers are more likely than colleagues to report poor mental health

Hybrid workers are more likely than colleagues to report poor mental health

Hybrid workers are the group most likely to say that work has a negative toll on their mental health, according to a new surveyHybrid workers are the group most likely to say that work has a negative toll on their mental health, according to a new survey from Pluxee UK. Two-fifths (42 percent) of hybrid workers reported that work negatively affects their mental wellbeing, compared to 32 percent of fully remote and 30 percent of fully office-based employees. The report claims thatits  findings highlight that while hybrid working offers flexibility, it requires thoughtful support to ensure employee wellbeing and work-life balance. (more…)

Is this last orders for the post-work drink?

Is this last orders for the post-work drink?

 

The traditional post-work drink may be falling from favour as a shift in attitudes means people increasingly prefer daytime social gatherings, a new poll claimsThe traditional post-work drink may be falling from favour as a shift in attitudes and working culture means people increasingly prefer daytime social gatherings, a new poll claims. Employers are being encouraged to move away from pub outings as a means of socialising, instead fostering “inclusive and healthy workplace cultures” that cater to employees who don’t drink alcohol or work remotely. As four different generations now share the workplace, new expectations around employee health and wellbeing are emerging, according to the survey commissioned by the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD). (more…)

How do you encourage people to spend more time in the office? Here are seven things to consider

How do you encourage people to spend more time in the office? Here are seven things to consider

 

In a world in which people have more choice about how and where to work, how do you encourage people to spend more time in the office without issuing controversial mandates?

In a world in which people have more choice about how and where to work, how do you encourage people to spend more time in the office without issuing controversial mandates? Some of the UK’s most high-profile workplace, design, property and facilities management experts met recently at the London showroom of MillerKnoll to discuss the answers to this, one of the most vexed questions of recent years. How do you create workplaces that meet the needs of people who have more choices than ever of how, when and where to work? And its corollary: if you want people to spend more time in the office with each other, how do you entice them to do so without making it an obligation? (more…)

Endlessly distracted? Get some focus with the new issue of IN Magazine

Endlessly distracted? Get some focus with the new issue of IN Magazine

 

t's a bit of a bumper issue. The digital edition of the new IN Magazine is available for you here.

It’s a bit of a bumper issue. The digital edition of the new IN Magazine is available for you here. Inside you will find: our special supplement on how to encourage people to spend more time in the office (if you and they want to); Peggie Rothe of Leesman talking about how to optimise the workplace experience (and why you need to do it); Jo Knight cutting through yet another layer of sustainability BS; Stephanie Fitzgerald grappling with AI; a look back on the new direction for office design heralded thirty years ago by three new products; and a recent look back on Clerkenwell Design Week; a visit to an installation that shows how Sheffield is reinventing itself; a look at what happens when firms monitor staff (they monitor the firm right back); alternatives to our conception of the working day; how firms are building new relationships with remote staff; how Mark Eltringham can’t even be happy reading a book he agrees with; and the final word on the most complained about aspect of work.      (more…)

Capital One Office upgrades classic Zumtobel luminaire

Capital One Office upgrades classic Zumtobel luminaire

Capital One were still happy with the look and feel of their classic TECTON lighting system, but in search of improved efficiency, once again turned to Zumtobel for a fresh solutionTwenty years on financial services giant Capital One were still happy with the look and feel of their classic TECTON lighting system, but in search of improved efficiency, once again turned to Zumtobel for a fresh solution. Trent House, Nottingham, is financial services’ giant Capital One’s European HQ. It recently underwent a major remodelling project to create a stimulating and responsive working environment. In the dynamic landscape of corporate transformations, Capital One took a strategic leap to refurbish its 1st and 2nd floors, embarking on a journey towards modernisation and efficiency. Partnering with Zumtobel, a trusted name in lighting solutions, the project aimed to breathe new life into its 20-year-old Zumtobel TECTON System. (more…)