Search Results for: workplace

November 11, 2016

Gender pay gap and inequality is fuelling division in the workplace ⁰

Following the United States’ vote against electing their first ever female President, a new port claims that gender inequality in the workplace is still rife and is causing divisions. Men are nearly twice as likely as women to feel comfortable asking for a pay rise (41 percent vs 25 percent) according to research by totaljobs. Taking a UK average across all roles, levels, industries and regions without consideration for job roles, qualifications and experience, women typically expect to get paid a salary of £25,468, compared to £32,030 for men – a difference of £6,562, that’s 20 percent less than men. Similarly, the data showed men get higher annual bonuses too, with 43 percent of men likely to receive a bonus compared to only 38 percent of women. The pay gap can also lead to tensions in the workplace as the research shows that nearly a quarter (23 percent) of women believe their male counterparts are paid more for carrying out the same role, while, 58 percent of men believe men and women receive equal pay, compared to just 44 percent of women.

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November 10, 2016

Nearly half of HR professionals don’t feel up-to-speed with new workplace legislation ⁰

by Neil Franklin • News, Workplace

New research from identity data intelligence firm GBG claims there are a startling number of HR professionals (41 percent) who are struggling to keep up with new and changing workplace legislation. Recent changes to UK law, such as those made to the Right To Work in the Immigration Act and Modern Day Slavery Act are met with anxiety by 34 percent of respondents. Only 26 percent feel prepared and just 4 percent feel optimistic that the changes will be advantageous for their organisation. Despite half of HR professionals not feeling prepared to handle legislation changes, 62 percent believe it’s their primary responsibility. Almost one in five (18 percent) said it was their manager’s obligation and 9 percent believed the Board should be in charge of monitoring for change.

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November 10, 2016

The changing workplaces of Australia’s law firms; more in common with hotels than offices ⁰

by Mark Eltringham • Architecture, Features, Workplace design

Features such as baristas, sky terraces and fine dining will continue a process of transformation at the workplaces of Australia’s leading law firms over the next few years, claims a study by Melbourne based architecture practice Bates Smart. The report claims that the legal workplaces of today are are already unrecognisable compared to what was considered typical yesterday, having more in common with a five star hotel than a traditional office. Bates Smart predicts an even greater shift towards flexibility, collaboration and hospitality from legal firms in the future with the publication of four key findings in its new whitepaper, The Legal Workplace 2020, The report analyses trends in over 135,000 sq. m. of legal practice workplaces and draws conclusions that are indicative of key trends for law firms and the wider market alike.

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November 2, 2016

Calming office space and flexible hours best ways to combat workplace stress ⁰

by Sara Bean • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing, Workplace, Workplace design

More flexible hours, a more caring attitude from management, a welcoming office design and space away from the desk to take a break are much more effective ways to reduce workplace stress than expensive office overhauls or the provision of mindfulness classes, a new survey claims. A study into the measures that help reduce stress conducted by Cascade HR, explored what workers feel bosses can do to reduce their stress levels, and found that introducing flexible working hours (47 percent), early finishes on Fridays (39 percent) and a caring, friendly management style (38 percent) would have the biggest impact. The research also revealed the physical aspects of the workplace which employees believe employers could change or introduce to improve their occupational mental health. In fact, the workplace being clean and tidy was the factor that workers felt could go the furthest to reducing their stress (35 percent), while almost 1 in 3 felt having music playing would help to keep their stress at bay; as would simply having a space away from desks in which to chill out (29 percent) or to eat (27 percent) during breaks.

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October 23, 2016

Older job seekers believe age discrimination remains rife in the workplace ⁰

by Neil Franklin • News, Workplace

Research released by recruitment website totaljobs claims that almost two-thirds (63 percent) of 55-64 year olds have said they have felt discriminated against by a prospective employer because of their age and only 6percent of the same age group see their age as an advantage when applying for a job. The research from totaljobs, based on responses from over 4,000 job seekers, also claims that 72 percent of 55-64 year olds spend over an hour preparing for an interview compared with just 62 percent of 16-24 year olds. The study also claims that young people are much less likely to feel discriminated against because of their age. Just 33 percent of 16-24 year had felt age discrimination, with this number falling to 21 percent for 25-34 year olds and 22 percent for 35-44 year olds – a stark contrast to the 63 percent of 55-64 year olds. Whereas 82 percent of 55-64 year olds and 62 percent of 45-54 year olds see their age as a disadvantage when applying for a job, only 31 percent of 16-24 year olds and 16 percent of 25-34 years olds feel the same.

October 20, 2016

People with MS face ‘disturbing’ levels of workplace bullying and mistreatment ¹

by Mark Eltringham • News, Wellbeing

A study by The MS Society claims that people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) are facing ‘disturbing’ levels of disability discrimination at work, as it releases new survey results. In the survey of 1,018 people living with MS, almost a quarter (24 percent) of respondents say their employer has treated them badly as a result of their condition, and a fifth (20 percent) say their work colleagues have done so. Of the people who say they have faced mistreatment from their employer, an overwhelming majority (91 percent) say their employers knew they had the condition. And 85 percent who faced mistreatment from their work colleagues say their colleagues were aware. The survey reveals distressing examples of mistreatment people have faced at work. This includes facing offensive and humiliating comments, feeling bullied, and being accused of looking too well to have an illness or disability. People also say they have lost out on promotions, been forced out of work unfairly, and have had requests for reasonable adjustments denied (adjustments to working practices or practical support to help people to continue to do their role effectively).

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October 18, 2016

The global uberification of commercial property and the workplace ⁰

by Anthony Brown • Facilities management, Features, Property, Technology, Workplace design

Technology doesn’t just transform the world, it reshapes our language. So, we all need to get used to the word uberification as well as the idea of it. Based on the success of the on demand taxi service Uber, the word refers to the way a product or service becomes available to customers on demand via the Internet. Customers book a service only at the point of consumption. This represents an entirely new commercial model and is the defining characteristic of the new 21st Century economy. Uber may have provided the tipping point, going from start up to market valuation of $66 billion in just 7 years, but its success has given us a name for a process that is reshaping businesses and customer experiences across the entire economy, including in the commercial property sector.

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October 15, 2016

Insight weekly: Obsession with data + People subvert design + Engaged workplace ⁰

by Sara Bean • Facilities management, Technology, Workplace, Workplace design

In this week’s Newsletter; Jess Brook says beware of the latest data dressed up as pseudo-science; Serena Borghero on ways workplace design can boost engagement levels; and Mark Eltringham says how workplaces are utilised are subject to the vagaries of human behaviour. Staff allegedly spend just 38 percent of their time performing their primary job duties; collaborative spaces are replacing the traditional office boardroom; and 30 percent of corporate real estate portfolios will incorporate flexible workspaces by 2030. Research suggests office design makes the most significant difference to employee happiness levels; over a quarter (28 percent) of employees are reluctant to ask for flexible work; digital tech within many workplaces is not up to spec; and extension announced of the One Public Sector Estate scheme. Download our new Briefing, produced in partnership with Boss Design on the link between culture and workplace strategy and design; visit our new events page, follow us on Twitter and join our LinkedIn Group to discuss these and other stories.

October 13, 2016

Design is the top factor when it comes to workplace happiness, claims study ⁰

by Mark Eltringham • News

New research from Office Genie claims that office design makes the most significant difference to employee happiness levels. According to the survey of 2,000 British workers, when someone felt comfortable with the design of their workplace, it boosted their happiness by 33 percent compared to those who felt uncomfortable. Workplace design was found to have a larger impact than office temperature levels, light levels, noise levels, and social interaction levels: temperature made an average difference of (5 percent), light (6 percent), noise (8 percent), and social interaction (8 percent). It also came in ahead of the ability to work flexibly, specifically the ability to work from home which made a 12 percent difference to happiness levels. This is particularly remarkable when flexible working is often cited as one of the biggest factors affecting employee happiness, according to the study.

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October 12, 2016

Majority of workers believe their workplace is making them ill ⁰

by Sara Bean • News, Wellbeing, Workplace, Workplace design

A huge number of employees (87 percent) blame their workplace for making them ill, with only 25 percent saying they feel healthy at work on a regular basis, claims a new survey from Healthcare provider Benenden. In addition, half of those surveyed (50 percent) said they felt depressed at work, with just 40 percent admitting they are happy in their place of work. The survey of 2,000 employed people reveals that nearly half of workers still go into work, despite being ill. And whether ill or not, once in work, those surveyed confessed to having regular health issues, with backache (84 percent) eye strain (42 percent) and regular migraines (27 percent) all being part of working life. In addition, just under half of respondents (at 44 percent), reported being regularly stressed at work, with a further 91 percent feeling tired several times a week at their desk. Nearly two thirds of workers (58 percent) said that work worries keep them awake at night.

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October 11, 2016

Weird science; how workplace professionals are in danger of obsessing about data ⁰

by Jess Brook • Comment, Workplace, Workplace design

There’s been a series of reports recently and a lot of PR to back them up, plus we’re headed at pace into the workplace event season. Pretty soon we will be neck deep in data. And misleading headlines. Some of it is good. Some of it is bad. We need to be wary of the data, the science behind some of it and the wild claims made as a result. There’s a great piece about how big data isn’t the answer to our problems in Wired. One argument it puts forward is this: “today’s data sets, though bigger than ever, still afford us an impoverished view of living things.” It feels like there is a poor view of the workplace right now. One problem here is the commercial imperative to get results. That means the PR teams pick over the bones of what might be quite thin research and then bold arguments are extrapolated. It means detailed insights are blurred by headline grabbing claims, or simply not there in the first place.

More often it means ‘research’ doesn’t generate anything new – which is not good for headlines. So, reports are dressed up as pseudo-science. This is not just an issue unique to UK the commercial property and workplace arena either. Only recently Dana Carney has challenged her joint research into the power of body language with co-author Amy Cuddy. Carney is arguing the results of research were false, plain wrong, based on bad science. This undermines valuable work being done by other groups in the market place – i.e. the great unwashed comprising directors of estates, HR professionals and facilities managers begin to tire of data and grow a little weary of the whole experience.

It’s confusing for the very people that need informing, educating and influencing so that they make intelligent decisions about their workplaces. For example, you cannot measure 28 factors relating to physical space and then argue that it allows clients to link workplace design to key business drivers such as employee engagement and organisational commitment. To make such a leap you need to focus very hard indeed on organisational culture and the behaviours of the people in that organisation.

Too often the key themes of culture and behaviours are not so much in the back seat, but left at the kerb side as the research vehicle heads off down the highway. Criticisms of open plan and the use of offices by those in a leadership position need to be placed in the context of that organisations whole way of being. It can work if allowances are made for culture and behaviours.

Allegedly, 89 percent of senior leaders have a private office. This is not open plan. True open plan, and where benefits of open plan are seen, is when everyone exists and works on a level playing field with numerous and varied alternate work areas being made available. Again, it’s not just about the spaces available. Some companies will introduce the variety and do nothing to change with behaviour to allow people to understand, embrace and feel able to use these new and different spaces. It’s the same way the presence of a DJ and dancefloor don’t mean that people will automatically dance – just think of the bad parties with no atmosphere and awkward people.

Workplace professionals have a duty to think this data through before making any claims, arguments or indeed, any recommendations. Too many decision makers in the C-suite are saying right now: “OK, based on this data I’ll put everyone in open plan, buy sit stand desks for all and provide people with some enclosed settings and we’re good to go,” and still find the business is no more engaged or innovative because it’s not based on how the company actually operates and does not factor in people, change or culture.

We all need to check this data thoroughly before making too many easy headline grabbing and PR driven conclusions. After all, it’s not always easy to know good from bad – just ask a doctor. Doctors may know the latest scientific research but they evaluate patients at a personal level before any application – and businesses need to do the same. Likewise, an Oxbridge or Harvard professor like Amy Cuddy or Dana Carney should be generating good science, but that’s no excuse for not constantly challenging the research that comes through.

Don’t take these PR headlines about workplace for truth. Let’s be careful out there people.

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Jess Brook is Workplace Strategist at Hatch Analytics

October 8, 2016

Britain’s best offices + American workplace + Flexible working hierarchy ⁰

by Sara Bean • Facilities management, News, Technology, Workplace, Workplace design

In this week’s Newsletter; Anna King reflects on the fact that offices seem to be morphing into homes, and homes are, conversely, functioning as places of work; Tar Tumber warns that being pregnant and suffering discrimination or redundancy is not at all unusual; and Mark Eltringham argues we have to find a way of dealing with a new age of artificial intelligence. In research, a new US survey reveals the nature of jobs is undergoing a fundamental shift; occupants of high-performing, certified green buildings have high cognitive functions; and workers spend half their time checking emails. High earners are 47 percent more likely to work flexibly and the government releases its latest framework which covers a range of property-related services. View our gallery of this year’s BCO award winners: download our new Briefing, produced in partnership with Boss Design on the link between culture and workplace strategy and design; visit our new events page, follow us on Twitter and join our LinkedIn Group to discuss these and other stories.