Search Results for: workplace

Sustainability and wellbeing yet again key themes of South West BCO Awards

Sustainability and wellbeing yet again key themes of South West BCO Awards

Seven office developments across the South of England and South Wales have been recognised as the region’s most outstanding workplaces at the annual British Council for Offices (BCO) AwardsSeven office developments across the South of England and South Wales have been recognised as the region’s most outstanding workplaces at the annual British Council for Offices (BCO) Awards. Among the winners were three Bristol-based projects, highlighting the city’s growing reputation for innovative, inclusive and sustainable office design. The awards ceremony, held at We The Curious in Bristol, celebrated excellence in office design, fit-out, and environmental performance. With a strong emphasis this year on ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance), wellbeing, and inclusivity, the judges praised the winning projects for their forward-thinking, occupier-focused approaches. (more…)

Giant digital artwork will Illuminate THE MART’s Facade during NeoCon

Giant digital artwork will Illuminate THE MART’s Facade during NeoCon

A new large-scale digital projection will light up the facade of THE MART during NeoCon in downtown Chicago this summerA new large-scale digital projection will light up the facade of THE MART in downtown Chicago this summer, offering a reflection on the forces shaping the city’s past, present and future. Currents of Chicago, created by architecture and design firm Perkins&Will, will be displayed from 5 June to 6 July as part of the ongoing ART on THE MART programme. Lighting up the building’s 2.5-acre riverfront facade, the work coincides with the 2025 edition of NeoCon (9–11 June), a major event in the commercial design industry. It is the third year in a row that ART on THE MART has timed one of its major presentations to coincide with the NeoCon design fair. (more…)

The world needs amazing leaders like never before. But where are they?

The world needs amazing leaders like never before. But where are they?

rapid changes in today’s environment can put even the best leaders under immense strain and cause ripple effects within the organisationDemand for integrity and strength in leadership has never been greater. A wave of quickly evolving AI technologies, combined with geopolitics and other pressures, is increasing this need at an unprecedented pace. The rapid changes in today’s environment can put even the best leaders under immense strain and cause ripple effects within the organisation. In fact, even those changes that are expected to bring efficiency and simplicity like GenAI, translate into confusion, anxiety, and complexity in many situations. According to McKinsey research, a staggering 56 percent of employees report that their leaders are either mildly or highly toxic. Even more concerning, 75 percent of employees identify their boss as the most stressful part of their workday. (more…)

Co-working spaces bring a whole range of benefits for employees and communities

Co-working spaces bring a whole range of benefits for employees and communities

Today’s co-working spaces have evolved into something more powerful – particularly in a world still reshuffling office work practices in the wake of the COVID pandemic.When you think of co-working spaces – where workers from different industries come together to share a convenient workplace – you might picture a group of young freelancers hunched over laptops. But today’s co-working spaces have evolved into something more powerful – particularly in a world still reshuffling office work practices in the wake of the COVID pandemic. As workplaces adapt to new ways of operating, from hybrid to “digital nomadism”, co-working spaces can do more than simply offer flexibility. They can support workers’ wellbeing and work–life balance by enhancing a sense of community, building trust and new friendships, and encouraging continuous learning. (more…)

Future of Work 2025: WEF report sets out the unsurprising but profound changes ahead

Future of Work 2025: WEF report sets out the unsurprising but profound changes ahead

The latest report on the future of work forecasts profound but entirely unsurprising changes for the workplace over the next five yearsThe latest Future of Jobs Report from the World Economic Forum forecasts profound but entirely unsurprising changes across global labour markets over the next five years, as technological breakthroughs, demographic shifts, and the green transition redefine the physical and digital workplace. Drawing on insights from over 1,000 employers, representing more than 14 million workers across 55 economies, the report on the future of work claims that technological change—particularly the rise of generative AI (GenAI)—will be the most powerful driver of workplace transformation by 2030. Broadening digital access is expected to reshape six in ten businesses, followed closely by AI and robotics, which are both forecast to simultaneously create and displace jobs on a massive scale. (more…)

Prime office rents around the world continue to rise

Prime office rents around the world continue to rise

ental growth for prime office space around the world accelerated in the first quarter of 2025, increasing on average by 0.6 percent, following a 0.3 percent increase in Q4 2024Rental growth for prime office space around the world accelerated in the first quarter of 2025, increasing on average by 0.6 percent, following a 0.3 percent increase in Q4 2024, says Savills. Fit out costs also rose by 0.7 percent in the first quarter, following a 0.2 percent increase in Q4, as demand for top quality office space continues unabated. According to Savills Q1 2025 Prime Office Costs report, in the first quarter average ‘all-in’ net effective costs (rent plus fit-out costs) rose by 0.5 percent, with 21 of the 40 locations monitored recording an increase, continuing a moderate upwards trend of 3.3 percent over the last year. (more…)

Half of businesses who have made people redundant in favour of AI think they may have messed up

Half of businesses who have made people redundant in favour of AI think they may have messed up

A new poll from Orgvue claims that 39 percent of business leaders who have deployed AI in their firms have already made employees redundant. Of those, 55 percent think there's a good chance they made wrong decisions about those redundancies.A new poll from Orgvue claims that 39 percent of business leaders who have deployed AI in their firms have already made employees redundant. Of those, 55 percent think there’s a good chance they made wrong decisions about those redundancies. Orgvue first conducted its international survey of 1,000 C-suite and senior decision makers at medium and large organisations in 2024. This year, the research highlights what Orgvue says is growing caution in deploying artificial intelligence and acknowledgment that businesses need to reskill people to work with the technology. (more…)

Pace from Profim. Where design meets human-centred innovation

Pace from Profim. Where design meets human-centred innovation

Profim proudly unveils Pace, an innovative task chair that redefines comfortable, sustainable seating for the modern workplace. Created by Germany's ITO Design, the studio behind Profim's bestselling Xenon and AccisPro lines, and engineered in Poland, Pace seamlessly blends German design precision with Polish manufacturing excellence. The chair's clean, contemporary silhouette adapts effortlessly to diverse work environments.Profim proudly unveils Pace, an innovative task chair that redefines comfortable, sustainable seating for the modern workplace. Created by Germany’s ITO Design, the studio behind Profim’s bestselling Xenon and AccisPro lines, and engineered in Poland, Pace seamlessly blends German design precision with Polish manufacturing excellence. The chair’s clean, contemporary silhouette adapts effortlessly to diverse work environments. Its Synchro SFL MAX mechanism enables smooth, natural movement, providing subtle support for different seating positions without compromising visual elegance. With multiple backrest, lumbar support, and armrest options, Pace enhances comfort while helping to reduce workplace health concerns, making it ideal for settings ranging from startups to corporate offices. (more…)

Regional BCO Awards show how London’s best offices are redefining the way we work

Regional BCO Awards show how London’s best offices are redefining the way we work

The awards recognise excellence in the design, fit-out, operation and environmental responsibility of London's best offices.In a city where tradition meets the cutting edge, London’s office spaces are undergoing a quiet revolution. At the British Council for Offices (BCO) Regional Awards, held today at the London Hilton on Park Lane, seven projects were celebrated—not just for their architectural merit, but for what they reveal about the evolving needs of workers, employers, and communities alike. This year’s winners, chosen from across the capital, signal what the BCO claim is a new era of workplace thinking—where sustainability, community engagement, and human experience carry as much weight as style and status. The awards recognise excellence in the design, fit-out, operation and environmental responsibility of London’s best offices. The 2025 cohort offers more than inspiration; it sets a bold new benchmark for the offices of tomorrow. (more…)

Workspace Design Show returns to Amsterdam with a new, future-focused agenda

Workspace Design Show returns to Amsterdam with a new, future-focused agenda

After a successful debut in 2023, the Workspace Design Show will return to Amsterdam this November, promising to shape the future of workplace interiors.After a successful debut in 2023, the Workspace Design Show will return to Amsterdam this November, promising to shape the future of workplace interiors. Taking place from 5–6 November 2025 at RAI Amsterdam, the event is recognised as the UK and Europe’s leading exhibition dedicated to the evolution of workplace environments. Bringing together some of the most creative minds in architecture, design, occupier strategy and sustainability, the Amsterdam edition will focus on how to create more effective, inspiring, and future-proof workspaces. Innovation, sustainability and wellbeing will be at the heart of the 2025 show, with an outstanding speaker programme planned across three dedicated stages: Workspace Design Talks, Occupiers Forum, and Sustainability Talks. The sessions aim to deliver critical insights and practical strategies for designing the workplace of tomorrow. (more…)

Remote work can boost innovation, but culture eats it for breakfast

Remote work can boost innovation, but culture eats it for breakfast

The effects of remote work on innovation can vary dramatically depending on the cultural context of a country, according to new research by Durham University Business School.The effects of remote work on innovation can vary dramatically depending on the cultural context of a country, according to new research by Durham University Business School. Analysing data from over 8,000 firms across 21 countries, the study suggests that remote working significantly enhances innovation in cultural contexts characterised by low power distance, high indulgence, and notably, short-term orientation. It found that companies based in European countries, like Lithuania, Latvia and Hungary, experienced far greater innovation gains from flexible working compared to companies in more hierarchical and long-term planning cultures such as the Middle East and African region. (more…)

Remote workers don’t stick to their contracted hours and even (gasp) skip some days completely

Remote workers don’t stick to their contracted hours and even (gasp) skip some days completely

A new survey commissioned by book summary app Headway suggests that remote workers exhibit complex behaviours when balancing work life balance and the demands of their jobs.A new survey commissioned by book summary app Headway suggests that remote workers exhibit complex behaviours when balancing their non-work lives and the demands of their jobs. The study, which polled 1,000 remote workers across the United States, claims that while a majority (56 percent) reported improved work-life balance since transitioning to remote work, this shift has not been without its drawbacks. Notably, only 57 percent of respondents adhere to their scheduled working hours, with 26 percent admitting to having skipped entire workdays unnoticed. Furthermore, 40 percent confessed to simulating activity to appear busy on employer tracking systems, highlighting concerns about accountability in remote settings. (more…)