Search Results for: workplace

UK architects arrive at AI ‘tipping point’ – and a new existential crisis

UK architects arrive at AI ‘tipping point’ – and a new existential crisis

Most architects don't think AI improves the quality of their work, and have become more pessimistic about their future as well as the long term impact on the profession as the tech reduces the number of entry level rolesThe Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has published the results of the third survey among its members into attitudes towards, and usage of Artificial Intelligence (AI).?It outlines how artificial intelligence (AI) adoption has changed, how its use has developed and how design professionals view the AI-influenced future. The poll found that while adoption is widespread, most respondents don’t think AI improves the quality of their work, and have become more pessimistic about their future as well as the long term impact on the profession as the tech reduces the number of entry level roles. (more…)

Gen Z workers are socialising more after returning to the office, study suggests

Gen Z workers are socialising more after returning to the office, study suggests

Almost one in three Generation Z employees say they are socialising more with colleagues since returning to the office more often, according to a new poll from career transition firm Careerminds UK. The survey of 600 UK employees found that 31.7 percent of Gen Z respondents said they socialise more with colleagues now they are spending more time in the workplace. Among millennials, the figure was 17.7 percent. The research was published during International Youth Employment Week and examined how employees’ workplace habits have changed since the return to office and hybrid working. (more…)

The Crown Estate unveils two major West End office developments

The Crown Estate unveils two major West End office developments

The Crown Estate has announced two major mixed-use developments in London's West End as part of what it describes as the largest programme of office developments in its history.The Crown Estate has announced two major mixed-use developments in London’s West End as part of what it describes as the largest programme of office developments in its history. The projects at 10 Piccadilly and 21–29 Glasshouse Street will deliver a combined 169,300 sq ft of office, retail and hospitality space, continuing the organisation’s programme of refurbishing and redeveloping heritage buildings across its central London estate. The schemes form part of The Crown Estate’s wider strategy for its 10 million sq ft London portfolio, which combines office development with retail, leisure and public realm improvements aimed at maintaining the West End’s appeal as a business and visitor destination. (more…)

Why Australia’s property market still has room to run in 2026

Why Australia’s property market still has room to run in 2026

This piece cuts through that noise and lays out where the genuine strength in the property market sits right now, and why the fundamentals underneath it are more solid than the headlines suggestPerth house prices climbed nearly 13 percent this year. Brisbane and Darwin aren’t far behind. Meanwhile, the loudest headlines keep warning of a correction. Something doesn’t add up — and the gap between the sentiment and the numbers is exactly where this article lives. Anyone weighing up whether to buy, build, or hold in the current cycle is getting mixed signals from every direction: rate speculation on one channel, record price growth on the next. This piece cuts through that noise and lays out where the genuine strength in the property market sits right now, and why the fundamentals underneath it are more solid than the headlines suggest. (more…)

Why most marketing teams are using AI wrong (and how to fix it)

Why most marketing teams are using AI wrong (and how to fix it)

Nearly nine in ten marketers now use generative AI somewhere in their workflow, up from roughly half just two years ago. That’s one of the fastest adoption curves any marketing technology has ever seen. And yet, according to McKinsey’s ongoing research into marketing’s use of AI, most organizations still haven’t scaled AI beyond isolated pilots, and a majority of European marketing teams in particular haven’t advanced their gen-AI maturity at all. (more…)

Railpen secures planning approval for major Smithfield office scheme

Railpen secures planning approval for major Smithfield office scheme

Railpen has secured planning permission for the redevelopment of 12 Smithfield, paving the way for a major office scheme in the City of LondonRailpen has secured planning permission for the redevelopment of 12 Smithfield, paving the way for a major office scheme in the City of London as the surrounding area undergoes significant regeneration. The £34 billion Railways Pension Scheme manager plans to transform the existing building into a 122,000 sq ft office development, with completion expected in the fourth quarter of 2028. The scheme is intended to provide new office space alongside retail, café and amenity uses, overlooking the historic Smithfield Market site. The project forms part of wider investment in the Smithfield district, where around £400 million is being invested ahead of the opening of the new London Museum in 2028. The museum will occupy part of the former Smithfield Market complex and is expected to become the centrepiece of a new cultural quarter. (more…)

The best building access control systems for offices

The best building access control systems for offices

As the use of office space has grown more complex and smart buildings have emerged, access control protocols need to adapt to meet new challengesA locked door is a foundational image in security. Though the methods of securing an entryway have changed over the millennia, from intricate slabs of intertwining wood to industrial steel padlocks and digital readers, the basic idea has remained largely the same, until now. As the use of office space has grown more complex and smart buildings have emerged, access control protocols need to adapt to meet new challenges. Hybrid work patterns cause daily fluctuations in occupancy, flexible work schedules mean employees enter and exit outside of the traditional 9-5 window and temporary personnel, be they part-time staff, contractors or cleaners, all now factor into how offices must manage their access control systems. (more…)

Business leaders expect AI to expand rather than shrink workforces, JLL report claims

Business leaders expect AI to expand rather than shrink workforces, JLL report claims

Most senior business leaders expect artificial intelligence to lead to workforce growth and job redesign rather than widespread redundancies, according to new global research from commercial real estate firm JLLMost senior business leaders expect artificial intelligence to lead to workforce growth and job redesign rather than widespread redundancies, according to new global research from commercial real estate firm JLL. The company’s 2026 Future of Work Survey, based on responses from more than 2,200 C-suite executives and corporate real estate leaders across 21 countries, found that 60 percent of respondents expect their organisations to increase headcount over the coming years, while the same proportion believe AI will reinvent existing roles rather than replace them. The findings challenge what JLL says are widespread concerns about AI-driven job losses, although the report acknowledges that some roles are still expected to disappear as organisations adopt the technology. (more…)

Inter-generational collaboration linked to stronger organisational performance, report claims

Inter-generational collaboration linked to stronger organisational performance, report claims

Organisations that encourage stronger inter-generational collaboration between different groups of employees are more likely to see improvements in innovation, trust and business performanceOrganisations that encourage stronger inter-generational collaboration between different groups of employees are more likely to see improvements in innovation, trust and business performance, according to new research from employee recognition firm O.C. Tanner. The company’s first State of Generations at Work Report, based on responses from more than 5,700 employees across 17 countries, argues that employers should move beyond generational stereotypes and instead focus on creating what it describes as “generational synergy” across their workforces. (more…)

Westminster event backed by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin tackles disability employment barriers

Westminster event backed by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin tackles disability employment barriers

An event at the Palace of Westminster this week will bring together politicians, business leaders and figures from the entertainment industry to discuss ways of improving employment opportunities for disabled and neurodivergent peopleAn event at the Palace of Westminster this week will bring together politicians, business leaders and figures from the entertainment industry to discuss ways of improving employment opportunities for disabled and neurodivergent people. The reception, organised by inclusive entertainment company 0UTLYER, takes place on 15 July and coincides with the launch of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Disability Employment. Titled Breaking Barriers, Backing Talent, the event aims to encourage collaboration between policymakers, employers and industry leaders on improving access to careers, particularly within the creative industries. (more…)

New mothers return to work early as financial pressures shorten maternity leave, report finds

New mothers return to work early as financial pressures shorten maternity leave, report finds

Financial pressures are prompting many new mothers to return to work before the end of their statutory maternity leave, according to new researchFinancial pressures are prompting many new mothers to return to work before the end of their statutory maternity leave, according to new polling from campaign group Pregnant Then Screwed. The organisation’s State of the Nation 2026 survey, conducted in partnership with Women in Data, suggests the impact is greatest on single parents, lower income families and parents of disabled children. (more…)

Most organisations are investing in AI. Far fewer are preparing leaders for it

Most organisations are investing in AI. Far fewer are preparing leaders for it

Businesses are racing to adopt new technologies, but many still lack the leadership frameworks, behaviours and organisational confidence needed to turn AI into meaningful, scaled value.The gap between AI adoption and leadership readiness is becoming one of the defining challenges facing organisations today. According to Gallup’s latest State of the Global Workforce report, only one in five employees believe their manager actively supports their team’s use of artificial intelligence, while just one in four say their organisation has communicated a clear strategy for integrating the technology into work. While investment in AI continues to accelerate, leadership capability is struggling to keep pace. Businesses are racing to adopt new technologies, but many still lack the leadership frameworks, behaviours and organisational confidence needed to turn AI into meaningful, scaled value. (more…)