Search Results for: risk

Younger workers turn to friends rather than colleagues for career advice

Younger workers turn to friends rather than colleagues for career advice

A painting of two people sharing a drink and some career adviceA new poll from Right Management, claims that British office workers aged 18-24 years are much more likely to turn to friends in similar jobs for career advice, than to seek guidance from their immediate manager or any other colleagues (older or younger) in their team. After two years of remote and hybrid working impacting on office life, younger workers who need career guidance are more likely (38.1 percent) to turn to their friends in similar jobs for advice, whereas all other working age groups (those aged 25+) prioritise getting their career advice directly from their immediate manager. (more…)

Flexible working takes a step back in face of economic certainty

Flexible working takes a step back in face of economic certainty

A woman working at home to illustrate flexible workingAs economic storm clouds gather, the flexibility and freedoms introduced during the pandemic that employees benefited from are now at risk according to a new study conducted by LinkedIn. It claims that in the UK, the current economic and business climate is causing concern among business leader that companies will be forced to wind back progress on important areas of working life such as flexible working (75 percent), skills development (76 percent), and employee wellbeing (83 percent). (more…)

Quiet quitting is not a thing, but employers do need to offer more fulfilling work

Quiet quitting is not a thing, but employers do need to offer more fulfilling work

A drawing of a male worker looking like he is overworked and unfulfilled to illustrate the idea of quiet quittingA new survey from Ricoh Europe claims that the majority of workers seek more stimulation and creativity in their job, suggesting that employers need to do more to provide fulfilling work. The research, conducted by Opinium for Ricoh Europe, polled 6,000 workers and 1,500 decision makers across the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain. It claims to contradict the idea of quiet quitting with 82 percent of workers describing themselves as ‘engaged’ at work, while 65 percent say they are enthusiastic about what they do. Yet while workers feel content to a degree, there remain frictions and roadblocks to them becoming more productive and creative. (more…)

Winter is coming: don’t be in the dark about blackouts

Winter is coming: don’t be in the dark about blackouts

a lit candle to illustrate the idea of blackoutsThe National Grid has warned that the UK could face blackouts this winter. The worst-case scenario is that homes and businesses could lose power for pre-defined periods of up to three hours if gas power plants are not able to keep running due to the energy crisis that keeps on giving – or rather, taking. While the British government has dropped its energy rationing campaign, which once formed a crucial part of its plan to prepare for potential energy shortages and blackouts, countries across Europe are drawing up winter contingency plans, as are forward-thinking businesses. (more…)

Economic uncertainty kills talk of quiet quitting and the great resignation

Economic uncertainty kills talk of quiet quitting and the great resignation

Two people sit in an office talking, relaxed in chairs with no suggestion of a great resignation or quiet quittingIn spite of all the talk of a ‘great resignation’ and ‘quiet quitting’, more than three quarters of British workers (81 percent) are planning to ride out the recession with their current employer. This is in spite of the fact that nearly half (46 percent) say that they’d like to change jobs, according to a new poll from people analytics company Visier. When asked why they wouldn’t be keen to change job roles during a recession, concerns over job security in a new role (57 percent), having to settle for a lower salary compared to a current role (42 percent), and increased competition for current vacancies as a result of increased redundancies (28 percent) were cited as the leading reasons. (more…)

Monitoring remote workers is a good idea according to half of bosses

Monitoring remote workers is a good idea according to half of bosses

a webcam monitoring remote workersA new poll from the CIPD and HiBob claims that more than half of bosses (55 percent) agree with collecting information on regular home workers, including the amount of time spent on laptops each day and email sending behaviours to identify risk of burnout. However, only three in ten (28 percent) leaders say their organisations are using software for monitoring remote workers and their productivity, according to the study. Where workplace monitoring is in place, the CIPD and HiBob urge employers to consider its purpose, and to be clear to staff about what is being monitored and why. (more…)

Transparency and collaboration key to real estate decarbonisation

Transparency and collaboration key to real estate decarbonisation

An image of the Earth to represent decarbonisationThe Urban Land Institute (ULI) has warned of a ‘carbon bubble’ in the pricing of European real estate and urged the industry to work together to preserve values across the sector as it aims to meet the decarbonisation targets set in the Paris Agreement. To support a more collaborative approach, at the inaugural ULI C Change Summit, the institute has published its Transition Risk Assessment Consultation Guidelines as part of its C Change programme. These guidelines set out a standardised method for assessing the costs of decarbonising buildings and disclosing between owners, investors, potential buyers, and valuers the main transition risks and impact on values. (more…)

There is no F in work

There is no F in work

Neil Usher is an energetic, wiry critic of workplaces and offices. Long ago – in 2018, actually – his proposal that the good office is composed of 12 simple elements, beginning with daylight, was also energetic and wiry. Here he widens out from the delicious nitty-gritties of temperature control and lighting in The Elemental Workplace to the wider phenomenon of work. As the title already suggests, the style is laden with expletives: there are no fewer than 25 mentions of the word ‘crap’. He is withering, too, about the ‘easiest fat-arsed squatting duck of targets, the hapless office, with its rituals and theatrics’. On top of a fresh, Elemental-style bow to the nostrum of inclusion, there is a critique of management fads, but also reference made to (white male) privilege, plus, in a lofty manner, ‘our essentially Stone Age cognitive wiring’.

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Skills shortages won’t be solved by offering people more money

Skills shortages won’t be solved by offering people more money

skills shortagesAs businesses across the country face rising costs, new research from the CIPD and Omni warns that using pay to attract talent simply isn’t enough to tackle on-going skills shortages. While an increasing number of organisations (54 percent) are inflating pay to retain talent, this approach is not sustainable for most employers in the face of rising costs. To tackle the skills shortage, organisations need to highlight other components of good working practices when recruiting, such as offering flexible working and promoting career development opportunities. For instance, the latest Resourcing and Talent Planning survey shows that 68 percent of employers that offer hybrid/ remote working say it has allowed their organisation to attract and retain more talent.  (more…)

Digital twin in Birmingham will drive innovation and clean energy in the city

Digital twin in Birmingham will drive innovation and clean energy in the city

digital twin birminghamA digital twin that can comprehensively model and test pathways to clean energy and net zero emissions in East Birmingham is being planned in a partnership between the University of Birmingham, Birmingham City Council and Siemens. A feasibility study has been commissioned which demonstrates how a virtual representation of the energy and transport infrastructure within East Birmingham and Tyseley Environmental Enterprise District (TEED) will help to outline pathways for decarbonisation. (more…)

Demand for sustainable commercial property rises modestly, but supply side still falls short

Demand for sustainable commercial property rises modestly, but supply side still falls short

sustainable commercial propertyProgress is being seen in some aspects of the built environment on the drive to be more sustainable, according to the latest annual sustainability report produced by RICS, however the rate of advancement needs to accelerate significantly and become more widespread. The 2022 RICS Sustainability Report, which collated sentiment from almost 4,000 chartered surveyor contributors, around 1200 of which are from the UK, across commercial and construction sectors globally, shows that some improvement in the push for sustainability has been made in the past year, notably in the commercial real estate sector as demand for sustainable commercial property continues to rise. (more…)

BDG architecture + design and FUTURE Designs, showcase AERO313 at London Design Festival

BDG architecture + design and FUTURE Designs, showcase AERO313 at London Design Festival

future designsBDG architecture + design and FUTURE Designs will display the only AERO313 luminaire in the country, at Borough Yards, London Bridge, as part of this year’s London Design Festival which runs from 17-25 September 2022.  FUTURE Designs was appointed by BDG architecture + design in 2020 to create this innovative custom light fixture that is a centrepiece of the latest WPP campus project in Detroit, USA. Faced with transatlantic logistics and regulations, the sheer scale of the product, as well as a global pandemic, the team involved tackled unprecedented challenges in order to deliver this ground-breaking luminaire to practical completion for a client on time and to budget. (more…)