Search Results for: society

New lighting guide updated to embrace era of hybrid working

New lighting guide updated to embrace era of hybrid working

The Society of Light and Lighting has launched the latest Lighting Guide 07 (LG7): Offices to reflect trends such as hybrid workingThe Society of Light and Lighting has launched the latest Lighting Guide 07 (LG7): Offices [paywall for non CIBSE members]. There have been considerable developments since the previous edition, published in 2015. The new guide considers hybrid working, addressing uncertainty around how office space will be used in the future. With increased hybrid working and the use of portable devices, people are spending less time at their desks and in the office. This revision of Lighting Guide 7 now includes home office lighting advice. (more…)

Employees avoid telling employers about less visible disabilities

Employees avoid telling employers about less visible disabilities

The silhouette of a group of four people in an office window overlooking LondonTwo in five (43 percent) employees with a less visible disability haven’t disclosed it to their employer, according to a new poll.  The research from healthcare provider Bupa claims that not wanting to ‘cause a fuss’ (30 percent) or be treated differently (25 percent) were the key reasons for keeping their condition to themselves. Nearly a quarter of those affected (23 percent) haven’t told their employer about their condition due to worries that they wouldn’t be believed, while one in five (20 percent) expressed concerns that their disability might impact their career opportunities. (more…)

Always connected in the age of disconnection

Always connected in the age of disconnection

All of humanity’s problems,” the French scientist and philosopher Blaise Pascal wrote in 1654, “stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” He may have been right, but then again, sitting in a room alone isn’t necessarily a great state of permanent being either. There was a time we used to talk with dismay about the Japanese phenomenon of intense social distancing known as hikikomori. We would consider with horror the isolation, lack of engagement with society, poor mental health and loneliness of the people who had almost completely withdrawn to their rooms. Those poor bastards locked up in enclosed spaces linked to the outside world only by screens. (more…)

Is carbon counting really the answer for the office furniture industry?

Is carbon counting really the answer for the office furniture industry?

A footprint on a beach to illustrate how the office furniture sector and others need to take a more sophisticated approach to environmental issuesThere is an increasing awareness that carbon is contained within all the products we buy. As an example, a leading sports trainer manufacturer is now displaying carbon content labelling, rather like food retailers quote calories. Within the workplace sector, the environmental impact of the built environment and products such as office furniture and flooring are seemingly well known. This must include consideration regarding how refurbishments and changes to embrace new working practices are managed responsibly. (more…)

Ethical organisations can pave the way to hell with their good intentions

Ethical organisations can pave the way to hell with their good intentions

An AI generated painting of the road to hell to illustrate how ethical organisations can create the conditions for bad behaviourDespite the growing focus for more ethical investment and management styles, a new paper from Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM) claims to have uncovered eight unethical effects that can ‘sneak in’, even when organisations are doing their best to act ethically. In his research Muel Kaptein, Professor of Business Ethics and Integrity Management, has looked at how even ostensibly ethical organisations can sometimes facilitate unethical behaviour. (more…)

The underlying problems with the way we think about work

The underlying problems with the way we think about work

people and workAn idea that has never really gone away, but which seems to be enjoying a new lease of life is the tabula rasa. The conception of people as a blank slate is something a that has crept back into mainstream political and social thought for a variety of reasons. Arguably, it is also behind many of the most misleading notions about work and workplace design, perhaps most importantly that a change to some single element or characteristic of a working environment will lead to a specific outcome in the behaviour of people. (more…)

Leading UK employers call for flexible working recruitment by default 

Leading UK employers call for flexible working recruitment by default 

flexible workingA joint letter from 21 leading employers – including several in the FTSE 100 – is calling on employers across the UK to advertise all vacant roles with flexible options by default. The full text is: (more…)

Public transport makes commuting easier and boosts the labour market

Public transport makes commuting easier and boosts the labour market

commuters and public transportFollowing losses of £1.5bn in annual fare revenues incurred during the pandemic, Transport for London recently signed a deal with the UK government for emergency funding. The agreement ensures that new train orders, bridge repairs and tube upgrades will continue as planned. It also will lead to public transport fares rising and bus services being cut. While the Elizabeth Line, a £19 billion east-west addition to the London Underground, opened to great fanfare in May 2022, this year has also seen some of the oldest bus routes in the UK axed: including route 144 between Worcester and Birmingham, route 477 between Dartford and Orpington, and route 84 between north London and Hertfordshire. At least 135 bus routes countrywide currently face cutbacks or permanent cancellation. (more…)

Surface Design Show announces its 2023 theme of ‘Shaping Communities’

Surface Design Show announces its 2023 theme of ‘Shaping Communities’

surface design showThe Surface Design Show has announced the theme of its 2023 edition as ‘Shaping Communities’; with an ambition to improve the surroundings for all, through collaboration and meaningful design solutions. The Show once again takes place at London’s Business Design Centre from 7-9 February 2023 allowing architects, designers and specifiers to discover the best in material design for the built environment. (more…)

Hybrid work may be ‘here to stay’, but the office remains essential for many businesses

Hybrid work may be ‘here to stay’, but the office remains essential for many businesses

hybrid workingAs businesses continue to evolve their workplaces to best meet the needs of their employees, JLL’s global Future of Work Survey claims that 72 percent of decision makers believe the office is critical to doing business. The research shows that over the next several years companies anticipate hybrid work to become the dominant model and will be looking across their real estate portfolios to re-think their office spaces, invest in new technology, including virtual offices, and prioritise sustainability. (more…)

Working from home can lead to fathers doing less childcare and mothers doing more

Working from home can lead to fathers doing less childcare and mothers doing more

working from homeAn analysis of survey data on 1,694 parents of young children found that working from home can result in a “traditional division of housework and childcare”, with men fearing they may lose their masculinity when taking on more routine tasks. Although the research, by Professor Heejung Chung, of the University of Kent, and Dr Cara Booker, University of Essex, uses data from 2010-16, they believe its conclusions are still valid now, at a time when the pandemic has greatly increased home working. (more…)

Is the growing number of working mums a cause for celebration or concern?

Is the growing number of working mums a cause for celebration or concern?

working mumsWorking mothers are a resilient group, accustomed to juggling work responsibilities and family time with aplomb. Such was the conclusion in a report from McKinsey last year. But the day-to-day challenges they face can severely test that resilience. The proportion of working mums in the UK has just matched the highest ever recorded figure. In the three months to June, 75 per cent of women with dependent children were in employment, according to the Office for National Statistics. By comparison, 93 per cent of fathers were in employment during the same period. (more…)