May 28, 2019

SMEs are driving job growth but lack skills says OECD

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have been a significant driver of employment growth in recent years, mainly through the creation of new firms, including in high-growth sectors such as information and communication technologies (ICT). But the new OECD SME and Entrepreneurship Outlook claims to highlight how most SME job creation has been in sectors with below average productivity levels, with SMEs typically paying employees around 20 percent less than large firms. While SMEs are more engaged in new organisational or marketing practices than large firms, and sometimes more innovative in developing new products and processes, many continue to struggle disproportionately with developing the skills and resources needed to navigate the increasing complexity in technologies and markets.

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May 27, 2019

BCO announces winners of North of England property awards

by Neil Franklin • News, Property, Workplace design

Manchester-based businesses dominated the BCO Northern Awards with Hanover, PwC Manchester and No. 1 Spinningfields all being recognised as some of the best workplaces in the North of England at the annual British Council for Offices (BCO) regional property sector awards held at The Principal Hotel in Manchester. In addition to the three winning buildings, 35 Dale Street in the city’s Northern Quarter also received Highly Commended in the Best Refurbished/ Recycled Workplace category. Janet Nash House, Durham and Live Works, Newcastle-upon-Tyne in the North East were recognised as two of the best workplaces in the North. (more…)

May 27, 2019

Wellbeing rather than growth should be focus of government policy

by Mark Eltringham • News, Wellbeing

Personal wellbeing rather than economic growth should be the primary aim of government spending, according to a new report from the from the all-party parliamentary group on wellbeing economics which urges a complete change in thinking from ministers,.Gus O’Donnell, who served as cabinet secretary, said Britain could lead the world by making the issue the primary goal of government policy. (more…)

May 27, 2019

Milan named as best city in world for wellbeing

by Neil Franklin • Cities, News, Wellbeing

Milan has been named the 2019 Wellbeing City as part of the Wellbeing City Award, which claims to be the first global award recognising city-led action. Five Award Laureate Cities have been announced as part of the Award and will be honoured at The Wellbeing Cities Forum in Montréal on June 19, 2019. The annual Award has been developed by NewCities in partnership with the Novartis Foundation, the Novartis US Foundation, and in collaboration with the City of Montréal, Toyota Mobility Foundation, Transdev, and the US Green Building Council. (more…)

May 24, 2019

One in eight people are unhappy at work

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing

The UK workforce is increasingly held back by mental health problems such as stress, depression and anxiety. According to a study of 23,000 full and part time workers by Robert Half UK, more than one in eight (13 percent) UK employees are unhappy at work, accounting for more than 4.3 million people. The UK has the highest rate of unhappiness in the workplace among the countries surveyed, including Canada, Australia, Germany and 4 percent higher than in the US. The research claims that one in three (31 percent) UK respondents admitted to finding their work stressful, while one in 10 (12 percent) employees report being dissatisfied with their work–life balance. (more…)

May 24, 2019

People declare themselves fit to work for longer

by George Eltringham • News, Wellbeing

New research from AIG claims that workers expect to be physically capable of doing their jobs until past their 68th birthday, beyond the age they can start claiming the State Pension even when it is extended to 67 by 2028. Almost a third (31 percent) believe they could work into their 70s and beyond with one in 14 confident they could keep going into their 80s. (more…)

May 23, 2019

Wellbeing, a pile of turtles, office culture and some other stuff

by Mark Eltringham • Features, Flexible working, Technology, Wellbeing, Workplace design

This week is Clerkenwell Design Week amongst other things, and as part of it I chaired a discussion on Tuesday about acoustics at work in the showroom of Flokk and their effect on wellbeing. We were fortunate to have a panel that involved the likes of Nigel Oseland, Michelle Wilkie of tp bennett, Joachim Schubert of Offecct and Lee Jones of Wellworking as well as an informed audience, if for no other reason than everybody’s ability to talk about the subject as complex and multi-faceted and, to some extent, hardwired. (more…)

May 23, 2019

From storage to stowage: what neuroscience teaches us about work

by Helen Owen • Comment, Workplace design

Insight into the way things work can often come from the strangest and most difficult places. For Jill Bolte Tayor, a neuroscientist well versed in the theory of how the brain works, her particular insight into the practical functioning of the brain came as a result of a stroke she suffered in 1996. What she learned during and after her experience became the subject of a famous Ted Talk in 2008. (more…)

May 23, 2019

Boosting low carbon building renovation across Europe

by George Eltringham • Cities, News

Today, the World Green Building Council’s European network, in collaboration with eight cities and partners announced the launch of Build Upon, the next phase of what it claims is the world’s largest collaborative project on building renovation. With cities across the world declaring climate emergencies and climate action high up on the agenda for the European elections, this European Union (EU) funded project will empower cities across Europe to join forces with national governments and industry to decarbonise their existing building stock by 2050 and so increase the proportion of low carbon building across Europe. (more…)

May 23, 2019

Demand outstrips supply for Edinburgh office space

by Marie Hillen • Cities, Facilities management, Technology

The majority (90 percent) of Grade A deals for commercial offices in Edinburgh so far this year came from the tech sector, according to Savills, resulting in TMT being the most active business sector of the first quarter of 2019. Key deals included Amazon signing for 30,000 sq ft at Exchange Crescent and Epic Games taking 10,000 sq ft at Quartermile 2. This reflects that fact that over the past five years, Edinburgh has seen employment growth of 7 percent in the professional scientific and tech industries and is forecast to see a further 11 percent over the next five years; resulting in a projected 3,800 net additional jobs in these industries

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May 22, 2019

Young people increasingly sceptical about work and institutions

by Neil Franklin • News, Technology, Workplace

Younger people across the world are increasingly disillusioned with traditional institutions, sceptical of business’ motives and pessimistic about economic and social progress, according to the 2019 Deloitte Millennial Survey. The survey claims that despite global economic growth, expansion and opportunity, younger generations are wary about the world and their place in it. But they remain hopeful and lean on their values as both consumers and employees. (more…)

May 22, 2019

New guidance on making meetings more accessible

by George Eltringham • News, Workplace design

To mark the launch of its new guide, Meetings Matter, Business Disability Forum is offering advice to all businesses on how to make meetings and events more accessible for disabled employees and clients. The 10-point meeting checklist is adapted from the not-for-profit membership organisation’s new 24-page guide. The practical and up-to-date resource provides advice on arranging meetings which meet the needs of all colleague and attendees. (more…)