Search Results for: workplace

March 3, 2013

Dull workplaces can hamper creativity, claims new report

by Mark Eltringham • Furniture, Knowledge, News, Workplace design

A new report from London based fit-out company Overbury claims that dull and demotivating workplaces are holding back creativity in UK organisations. The study of 2,000 employees from across the UK, found that although staff consider idea generation crucial to their employer’s performance, many feel unable to work creatively together in their offices. Between half and two thirds of employees (59%) state that the development of new ideas is vital to their organisation. However, many respondents also stated that their working environment is thwarting creativity,with the majority (52%) of UK offices lacking common or social areas.

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February 28, 2013

Workplace Anachronisms: No. 1 – the BCO Specification Guide

by Mark Eltringham • Comment, Facilities management, Property, Workplace design

The British Council for Offices claims that it is ‘Britain’s leading forum for the discussion and debate of issues affecting the office sector. Its members are organisations involved in creating, acquiring or occupying office space, whether architects, lawyers, surveyors, financial institutions or public agencies.’ If true, this makes its Specification Guide all the more remarkable for not only being wide of the mark about at least one key issue when it was published back in 2009, but about which it is growing increasingly redundant by the day.

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February 24, 2013

What gets measured in the workplace, gets managed

by Paul Statham • Comment, Facilities management, Technology, Workplace design

Are we finally seeing the first signs of the end of the downturn? Earlier this week the Government announced that UK unemployment had fallen. While I know there have been quibbles about what this all meant, other data from specific market sectors backs up the idea that we may be seeing some tentative causes for hope. One of the most heartening was last week’s survey from Randstad which reported growing levels of optimism among financial services firms about their prospects and the fact that the majority would be increasing headcount this year.

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February 19, 2013

Room for improvement in public sector workplace management

by Mark Eltringham • Architecture, Facilities management, News, Public Sector, Workplace design

Last week technology company Citrix announced that the UK Government could cut its property costs by a third by adopting flexible working policies. It used a Freedom of Information request to discover how much space each public sector employee in the UK is allocated and how much it costs then applied a formula to work out how this would be affected by greater adoption of flexible working. What was interesting was not just the up-front argument you would expect from an ICT provider but also the discovery that the average employee is allocated 1.1 workstations with some enjoying 1.6. (more…)

January 31, 2013

A Field Guide to Workplace Terminology

by Simon Heath • Comment, Facilities management, News, Property, Technology, Workplace design

As the ecosystem around the workplace industry grows ever more complex, so too does the language we use to describe it. In an attempt to bring order to chaos, guest writer Simon Heath presents here a glossary of terms, acronyms and abbreviations to help you navigate these linguistic waters. (For example Business Intelligence – A commonly used oxymoron.) For more of Simon’s worldly, wise and witty writing on all things work and workplace related, visit his blog at https://workmusing.wordpress.com.

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January 29, 2013

Sodexo Workplace Trends report covers familiar ground

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

The latest annual Workplace Trends Report from workplace services provider Sodexo claims to reveal the crucial role the built environment has in organisational performance. The report emphasises the growing strategic role of facilities management and the importance of sustainability as an element of corporate culture as well as a trend toward designing offices to attract and retain top talent by emphasising productivity and quality of life. The report also identifies the importance of social media in attracting prospective employees instead of traditional e-mail campaigns and other media.

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January 24, 2013

Happiness levels in UK workplaces growing, says Government.

by Mark Eltringham • Knowledge, News, Public Sector, Workplace

The general level of satisfaction in the UK’s workplaces has increased significantly in spite of ongoing economic uncertainty according to a report from the Government published yesterday. The study of more than 21,000 employees, found that job satisfaction levels actually increased in 2012 with a fifth (20 per cent) of employees either ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with all aspects of their job, compared to just 16 per cent in 2004 when the survey last appeared. The report also showed that levels of commitment to individual employers had also increased over the same period, with the proportion of employees who said they shared the values of their organisation up from 55 per cent to 65 per cent. (more…)

January 17, 2013

Great product designs reflect the changing workplace

by Mark Eltringham • Furniture, Workplace design

If art holds a mirror up to nature, shouldn’t good workplace design hold a mirror up to the way we work? Well yes, of course. No points for answering no. By definition, the things with which we surround ourselves in the workplace should tell us something that is essentially true about the way we see ourselves and what we do. If it doesn’t, it’s not good design. So when we see award winning products, it should be possible to infer from them what is happening and what is changing in the workplace. (more…)

January 16, 2013

Workplace transformation strategies are an essential element of CSR

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

CNGLogo

Adopting 21st-century workplace practices that meet the needs of employers and employees is an important form of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), according to a new corporate real estate (CRE) industry advocacy statement by CoreNet Global. The report finds the nature of work is “changing dramatically, transcending the traditional definitions of productivity to include the concepts of enabling work, employee engagement, employee satisfaction and employee wellness, framed around an emerging ‘work-life support’ business model.” (more…)

January 8, 2013

Free briefing – workplace legal calendar for 2013

by Mark Eltringham • Briefing, Facilities management, Legal news, Workplace

The UK coalition government’s battle against red tape hasn’t meant an end to the introduction of new workplace regulations or revisions to existing legislation. Far from it, in fact. In conjunction with one of the UK’s leading law firms Shoosmiths, here is our run down on what to expect over the coming twelve months including changes to the working time directive, a new approach to Health and Safety and the latest on the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations. Simply click on the image above to view or download the briefing.

August 26, 2025

Trump appoints Airbnb co-founder as first official government head of design

by Neil Franklin • News, Workplace design

US President Donald Trump has appointed Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia as the United States’ first Chief Design Officer, a role created as part of the launch of the National Design Studio within the Executive Office of the President. The new position was confirmed through an executive order signed on 21 August. The initiative, called America by Design, has been established to address the way federal services are designed and delivered. The government says the focus will be on improving the usability and consistency of the government’s digital presence, from websites and forms to broader systems that affect how citizens access services. The National Design Studio says it will work with agencies across government to ‘streamline interfaces and reduce duplication, with the goal of creating a simpler, more coherent experience for the public. (more…)

August 25, 2025

Younger people want more office time as remote work leaves many feeling isolated

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing

A new poll suggests that younger people are increasingly seeking a return to office working, as large numbers report that remote work has left them feeling lonely and disconnected. The survey from Bupa, based on responses from employees aged between 16 and 24, found that around 40 percent say they feel lonely when working from home. Many of those in this group began their careers during the pandemic, with limited experience of office-based work and the informal social interactions that accompany it. (more…)