February 25, 2022

The philosophy of wellbeing: Elina Grigoriou in conversation

by Neil Franklin • Podcasts, Premium Content, Wellbeing, Wellbeing Matters, Workplace design

Elina Grigorou is the author of a fantastic book called Wellbeing in Interiors: Philosophy, Design & Value in Practice. The book looks not only at the ways organisations can use design to address the wellbeing of individuals, but also the impact this approach has on them as individuals in terms of their creativity and productivity. This in turn can have a transformative impact on the organisations for which they work. (more…)

February 24, 2022

Building workplace resilience in a changing environment

by Jennifer Bryan • Business, Features, Flexible working, JB, Workplace

For decades, it has been agreed that change is a constant. So, doesn’t it stand to reason that before a change or crisis happens, an organization should have the ability and resilience to transform? In the McKinsey report, The resilience imperative: Succeeding in uncertain times, resilience is defined as, “the ability to withstand unpredictable threat or change and then to emerge stronger.” In other words, it is the ability to sustain and endure. And it applies just as much to workplace resilience as any other element of the organisation. (more…)

February 23, 2022

We need a growth mindset for buildings to make them adaptable

by Matthias Rebellius • Comment, Environment, Property, Technology

The world is in a race. And it’s a race against time – against rising sea levels, overcrowded cities, and a virus that has shown us a thing or two about being adaptable. Although the current developments around infection rates and the omicron variant are cause for hope that the virus will soon become endemic, the experience of the last two years have emphasized something important: There is an urgent need to transform infrastructure across different dimensions – one of which is the physical space: the changing needs and expectations of people in their buildings, factories, facilities, offices and homes call for adaptability. (more…)

February 17, 2022

ESG issues top wish-lists for investors and employees

by Neil Franklin • Environment, News, Workplace

The annual EY Long-Term Value and Corporate Governance Survey finds a significant increase – from 66 percent to 84 percent – of board members and C-suite who say the COVID-19 pandemic increased expectations from consumers, employees, governments and broader society that companies will drive societal impact, environmental sustainability, and inclusive growth. However, there’s also an increase – from 28 percent to 43 percent – in respondents identifying lack of commitment from the board to make decisions that fully integrate ESG factors that would lead to long-term value. Fifty five percent of respondents say there are significant differences of opinion among leadership on how to balance short-term considerations with long-term investments and sustainable growth. That figure jumps to 68 percent of board chairs and non-executive board directors. (more…)

February 4, 2022

Want people to return to the office? Then create the best office in the world

by Mike Hills • Features, Wellbeing, Workplace design

More obituaries have been written for the office in the past two years than at any time in history. It has often seemed like even the best office in the world couldn’t preserve the idea of the office. And it’s not like the obituaries were all that rare even before the pandemic forced us to reappraise our relationship with work and the times and places we do it. While all these death notices were being served, one particularly well-informed organisation was making some more interesting observations about it all. In particular, it constantly raised the most fundamental question of all. (more…)

February 3, 2022

Working from home fuels concerns for energy consumption

by Sara Bean • Environment, Features, Flexible working

Back in February 2020, consulting firm WSP UK published some interesting research that revealed those working from home during the summer saved around 400kg of carbon emissions, the equivalent of 5 percent of a typical British commuter’s annual carbon footprint. The catch was that it was just a seasonal benefit. If an average employee worked at home all year round, they would produce 2.5 tonnes of carbon per year – around 80 percent more than an office worker. This is because, during the winter, most heating systems in Britain heat the whole house, which produces far more carbon emissions than would be produced from the commute. (more…)

January 27, 2022

Urban and real estate recovery driven by talent and innovation focused firms

by Neil Franklin • Cities, News, Property, Technology

Innovation-oriented industries and talent concentration are driving urban and real estate recovery, with notable hot spots in parts of the US, Europe and Asia, according to JLL’s new report, Innovation Geographies (registration). The authors claim that cities that perform best on these measures will be best positioned for economic growth post-pandemic, demonstrating a strong link between innovation, talent ecosystems and real estate performance. (more…)

January 21, 2022

Half of companies still not ready to meet the demand for flexible working

by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News, Property

Companies are unprepared for the structural shift to flexible working and must do more to create responsible, personalised and experiential workplaces, a new report from JLL suggests. Intensive experimentation and piloting are needed to achieve flexible working models that will deliver a unique workplace experience for all. The JLL research claims that globally organisations are looking to continue flexibility for where and when people work with 82 percent expecting employees to work remotely into the future at least part of the time – spending on average two days every week away from the office. Yet 48 percent of organisations in Europe Middle East and Africa (EMEA) still have not developed a future of work programme to meet the rising demands and expectations of their staff for greater work flexibility, exceptional and sustainable workplaces and increased wellbeing. (more…)

January 18, 2022

How to provide a great place to work for remote workers

by Richard Guy • Company news, Flexible working

Remote working swiftly evolved from a stopgap lockdown solution into a globally successful workstyle – and it’s set to stay. According to research quoted by CityAM, “84 per cent of UK businesses plan on having a hybrid, flexible or remote workforce following the pandemic”. Some companies, like Deloitte, have placed all bets on remote in closing their offices and basing employees from home, enjoying a vast reduction in operational costs. This flexibility has offered immediate benefits for remote workers, ranging from lifestyle and financial to positive influences on wellbeing. Workers in particular social groups have experienced life-changing situations, securing work in previously inaccessible geographic locations. (more…)

January 14, 2022

Toxic workplace culture is driving staff to exit door

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing, Workplace

Nearly two-thirds of employees who claim to have experienced a toxic workplace culture say the compensation they received did not make up for the emotional distress caused, according to new research from Culture Shift. The research from the impact software developer claims that 61 percent of those who have experienced problematic workplace behaviour have had to take a period of long-term leave, with over half (55 percent) saying the emotional distress lasted up to two years, while a third (34 percent) say it lasted three to four years. (more…)

January 10, 2022

People want employers to open up about environmental impact

by Neil Franklin • Environment, News

Research from?PLAY, a product development studio, suggests that more than three-quarters of people (77 percent) want the company they work for to be more transparent about their environmental impact. (more…)

January 7, 2022

Mitsui Fudosan UK and EDGE partner to acquire prime Shoreditch development site

by Freddie Steele • Company news

The approximately 1-acre island site, which sits in close proximity to the new Liverpool Street Elizabeth Line station, is the first acquisition for the newly set up joint venture between Mitsui Fudosan U.K. Ltd. (“Mitsui Fudosan UK”), the European operation of Japanese real estate developer Mitsui Fudosan, and European sustainable real estate pioneers, EDGE. (more…)