Search Results for: workplace

Stirling Prize shortlist shines spotlight on mixed-use regeneration and workplace design

Stirling Prize shortlist shines spotlight on mixed-use regeneration and workplace design

by • Architecture, News, Workplace design

The transformation of one of London's busiest transport hubs and a major mixed-use commercial development has secured a place on the shortlist for the 2026 RIBA Stirling PrizeThe transformation of one of London’s busiest transport hubs and a major mixed-use commercial development has secured a place on the shortlist for the 2026 RIBA Stirling Prize, highlighting the growing prominence of workplace-led regeneration among the UK’s most celebrated new buildings. Renzo Piano Building Workshop’s Paddington Square is one of six projects shortlisted for British architecture’s most prestigious award. The development combines offices, retail, public space and improved connections to Paddington Station, reflecting the continued importance of mixed-use schemes in reshaping city centres. (more…)

The workplace canteen isn’t too expensive. The way you run it is.

The workplace canteen isn’t too expensive. The way you run it is.

by • Company news, Facilities management

Most facilities teams have quietly reached the same conclusion: a staffed workplace canteen costs too much to justify, so it's a snack machine or nothing. They're half right. The canteen isn't the problem — the model is. And the model has changed.Most facilities teams have quietly reached the same conclusion: a staffed workplace canteen costs too much to justify, so it’s a snack machine or nothing. They’re half right. The canteen isn’t the problem — the model is. And the model has changed. Ask a facilities manager what their canteen actually costs, and you’ll rarely get a clean figure. The invoice is deliberately fragmented — food, labour, a contract caterer’s management fee, site costs — and the biggest line, labour, is the one under most pressure. (more…)

Government updates office design standards with new workplace guidance

Government updates office design standards with new workplace guidance

by • News, Workplace design

The Government Property Agency (GPA) has published a revised version of its Government Workplace Design Guide, introducing a new office design framework intended to standardise the layout of government offices while reflecting changes in the way civil servants work.The Government Property Agency (GPA) has published a revised version of its Government Workplace Design Guide, introducing a new office design framework intended to standardise the layout of government offices while reflecting changes in the way civil servants work. Launched on 2 July, the updated guidance introduces a Core Design Requirements (CDR) framework, which the GPA says will provide a consistent approach to creating inclusive, accessible, sustainable and digitally enabled workplaces across the government estate. (more…)

The role of safety training in healthier and better-managed workplaces

The role of safety training in healthier and better-managed workplaces

by • Company news

OSHA safety training gives organisations a formal way to build that clarity into working life. It helps employees understand the risks linked to their roleA healthy workplace is shaped by more than policies, posters, and annual compliance checks. Employees need clear guidance when they operate equipment, enter unfamiliar work areas, respond to an issue, or see a condition that does not look right. OSHA safety training gives organisations a formal way to build that clarity into working life. It helps employees understand the risks linked to their role and gives managers a stronger basis for setting expectations around safe behaviour, communication, and accountability. (more…)

People value autonomy and flexibility more than workplace technology

People value autonomy and flexibility more than workplace technology

by • Flexible working, News, Technology, Wellbeing

People place greater value on autonomy and flexibility at work than on access to better workplace technology, according to new researchPeople place greater value on autonomy and flexibility at work than on access to better workplace technology, according to new research that suggests organisations may need to rethink how they approach workplace transformation projects. The survey found that a third of respondents (33 percent) identified autonomy as the most important element of a well-designed employee experience, while 30 percent cited flexibility. By comparison, 21 percent said improved digital tools were the most important factor and only 15 percent pointed to leadership that listens. The findings come at a time when organisations continue to invest heavily in artificial intelligence, automation and digital workplace programmes in an effort to improve productivity, engagement and performance. (more…)

Navel gazing may not be the answer to the challenges facing workplace professions

Navel gazing may not be the answer to the challenges facing workplace professions

by • Comment, Facilities management, Workplace, Workplace design

First published in 2016 and republished because the same conversation is happening yet again at the IWFM conference right now: An adherence to strongly held beliefs can make people think and behave in peculiar ways and get them tangled up in peripheral issues that take on a great deal of significance. Early religious artists, for example, spent centuries wrestling with the seemingly intractable problem of whether to depict Adam and Eve with belly buttons or not. (more…)

Optimizing your environment: principles from workplace to home

Optimizing your environment: principles from workplace to home

by • Company news

It's pretty amazing how the secrets to a productive, low-stress workplace are often the same ones that make a home feel restful and clear, even for public sector management.It’s pretty amazing how the secrets to a productive, low-stress workplace are often the same ones that make a home feel restful and clear, even for public sector management. Think about it: an office set up for focus and efficiency isn’t all that different from a home designed for relaxation. Once you get these basic ideas, you can really fine-tune both your work and personal spaces. This means you’ll get more done, feel less stressed, and generally enjoy life more. It all starts with realizing that your surroundings aren’t just background noise; they actually play a big part in how well you do each day. (more…)

The workplace continues to be a source of relationships, study claims

The workplace continues to be a source of relationships, study claims

by • News, Wellbeing, Workplace design

A new study commissioned by the organisers of the ORGATEC office design trade fair suggests that the physical workplace continues to play a significant social roleA new study commissioned by the organisers of the ORGATEC office design trade fair suggests that the physical workplace continues to play a significant social role, with around one in three employees in Germany saying they have dated a colleague. The research, carried out by YouGov and based on a representative sample of more than 2,000 people, suggests that offices remain important settings for forming friendships, relationships and informal social connections despite the continued growth of hybrid and remote working. (more…)

Re-humanising the workplace: why prevention, support and standards matter more than ever

Re-humanising the workplace: why prevention, support and standards matter more than ever

by • Comment, Wellbeing

There is growing recognition that the workplace needs to become more human again, not less.There is growing recognition that the workplace needs to become more human again, not less. For all the talk of performance, productivity and retention, too many organisations still treat stress, ill health and emotional wellbeing as secondary matters. They are not. They sit at the heart of business success. The figures from the Keep Britain Working report, an independent review commissioned by the UK government and led by Sir Charlie Mayfield, the former chair of John Lewis, are a wake-up call. The value at stake is enormous. Employers face an estimated £85 billion a year in lost output and costs linked to ill health. For government, the additional burden in welfare payments and NHS demand is around £47 billion annually. On top of this lies the wider cost to the economy through lower participation, and the human and social costs of lost opportunity, stalled careers and reduced life chances. (more…)

Global office fit-out costs rise as geopolitical pressure and AI reshape workplaces

Global office fit-out costs rise as geopolitical pressure and AI reshape workplaces

by • AI, News, Workplace design

The cost of fitting out office space around the world has risen by up to 6 percent over the past year, as geopolitical instability and growing technological demands combine to reshape corporate real estate strategies, according to new research from JLL. The firm’s 2026 Global Office Fit-Out Cost Guide, which analyses 68 cities, identifies a complex mix of factors behind the increase, including higher energy prices, supply chain disruption and ongoing shortages of skilled labour. (more…)

London BCO Awards winners highlight shift towards reuse and long term workplace design

London BCO Awards winners highlight shift towards reuse and long term workplace design

by • Environment, News, Property, Workplace design

The winners of the British Council for Offices London Awards 2026 have been announced, recognising a series of workplace projects that reflect changing priorities in design, sustainability and social value across the capital. Six schemes were selected as regional winners. Deutsche Bank’s headquarters at 21 Moorfields (main image) was named best corporate workplace, while Stonecutter at 1 Stonecutter Street took the award for best commercial workplace. The best refurbished or recycled workplace award went to 76 Southbank, and Rabobank at 60 London Wall was recognised for best fit out of a workplace. The award for projects up to 2,500 square metres was given to 170 Piccadilly, while TBC.London at 224 to 226 Tower Bridge Road received the ESG award. (more…)

Challenge for workplace is balancing culture with the business’s need for speed and innovation

Challenge for workplace is balancing culture with the business’s need for speed and innovation

by • News, Workplace, Workplace design

A new EU-funded study suggests that many European organisations are struggling to balance strong workplace culture with the need for speed and innovation.A new EU-funded study suggests that many European organisations are struggling to balance strong workplace culture with the need for speed and innovation. The Culture Compass 2026 report, developed by Rotterdam School of Management at Erasmus University and the Meet Your Purpose think tank, draws on responses from more than 540 managers and employees across Austria, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland. It identifies what researchers describe as a “productivity paradox”, in which employees feel valued and engaged but are constrained by slow decision-making and limited autonomy. (more…)

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