Topic Search: Workplace
News Results | Features Results | Comments Results
This search function has been limited to 300 new stories and 100 features and comments
News - Search found 1000 news stories
CRE turns to experience-centric workplaces
Report finds new focus on making the workplace work in 2026.
Costs up as occupancy remains down
Colliers urges FM leaders to act as costs remain out of step with occupancy.
Employers grapple with balancing act on workplace tech
New report finds organisations balancing needs and expectations for up to five generations.
Office over-contraction fuelling market demand
One in five companies looking to expand footprint following Covid-era reductions.
Inefficient office management costing businesses
New research reveals poor workspace tech systems are costing businesses time, money and productivity.
CRE facing ‘pivotal moment’
Three mega-trends set to accelerate change.
As work patterns stabilise, key concerns emerge
Survey data shows promoting work-life balance and supporting wellbeing are firmly on the employee agenda.
Productivity: it’s about a good workplace, not gimmicks
Research finds majority prefer purpose-built workspaces that support their performance.
It’s getting hot in here
Or cold. Majority of office workers regularly find their workplace an uncomfortable temperature.
BCO pilots new office grading system
Grade A definition no longer fit for purpose, say 97% of professionals working in the sector.
Let’s do lunch
Younger office workers increasingly value mid-day break and the opportunities that come with it.
Talent crunch leading to companies rethinking location
Survey finds majority of companies worried about talent availability.
Tech companies evolving workplaces as they move to AI
New report finds data-driven strategies are reshaping real estate decisions.
Financial services shifting operations outside London
Firms fuelling commercial property growth in regional cities.
Poor workplaces costing the UK £71bn a year
Mitie research finds UK employers currently losing over £485m each week to time wasted due to workplace inefficiencies.
Researchers to test green office benefits
Nottingham Trent University team investigating how indoor plants may improve the health and wellbeing of office workers.
BCO calls for new approach to space planning
Guidance for landlords and occupiers looking to right-size, reduce costs and improve occupier experience.
Talent, flexibility and service reshaping real estate strategy
Corporate real estate priorities are evolving in response to multiple pressures, new report finds.
Companies prioritising workplace experience while optimising space
New report sees shifting workplace strategies, with hybrid adoption declining.
CIOB guide urges FMs to take whole-life value view
Chartered Institute of Building argues that optimum value from any building project comes from putting whole-life considerations at its heart.
The open-plan office has had its day
Research finds fully open-plan is no longer fit for purpose in the hybrid, post-pandemic workplace.
UK businesses look to expand office space
Majority say they overdid downsizing during the Covid era.
Majority of workers see real value in the office
Despite the rise of hybrid work, the physical office remains vital for today’s workforce.
BCO reveals London office award winners
Seven projects point the way to the future of workplaces in the capital and beyond, it says.
JLL restructures workplace services
New integrated approach aims to reposition real estate as a value driver, firm says.
Mixed messages on hybrid working
Majority of businesses see hybrid working benefits; yet many also want more time in the office.
JLL partners with ServiceNow
New collaboration bridges the gap between real estate and IT services for improved workplace management, firm says.
Human-Centric Workplace consultancy launches
Two leaders in the field come together to focus on transforming for the better.
Employers still grappling with Covid work changes
Five years after the first lockdown, many employers are still adapting to the after-effects of Covid-19.
Gaming out the future of the office
Furniture rental model underpins dynamic and agile work environment.
Employees look for more wellbeing support
Only half feel employers provide enough support.
Boomers, Zoomers and the workplace
Where are we on the whole generational change thing? New research sheds new light.
EMCOR UK launches Workplace Evolution service
New service promises to help organisations create more productive, smarter and sustainable workplace environments.
New research to focus on emerging workplace trends
Quarterly survey will use AI to analyse data and look for insights.
Record flexible office take-up in 2024
Level recorded was 12% ahead of total reached in 2023.
BCO launches new guidance for office design
Update reflects changed working patterns and net zero transition.
BSI investigating the ‘hybrid generation’
Call for evidence focuses on Covid-19 impacts on younger workers.
Retrofitting: ventilation must be part of the plan
Building retrofit programmes to improve energy efficiency must also include appropriate ventilation, argues a new report.
JLL analyses key trends in commercial property
New report looks at ‘a pivotal year’ for real estate in a review of trends shaping the future.
CRE: fundamental shift towards flexibility
New report highlights ongoing post-pandemic change in the property industry.
Office attendance up but desk provision down
Survey indicates hybrid working is here to stay but needs better management.
OCS brings urban farming to the workplace
Hydroponic farm pods installed at managed sites in boost to sustainability.
Office occupancy rises across Europe
Average office occupancy rate has risen to 60% over the last six months.
Unlocking employee happiness, talent and productivity
Employees who socialise at work are more engaged, loyal and productive, says new research.
Offices: think ‘customer first’ and prioritise experiences
New report says treat workers like customers that need to be acquired and retained.
BCO awards for UK’s best workplaces
Winners showcase creative, flexible and inspiring work environments that make a positive impact on their communities.
Experience economy trend shaping built environment
Creating high-quality experiences in the built environment will help future-proof corporate real estate portfolios.
Colliers calls for ‘adaptive FM’
Changes in work and workplaces demand new approaches to how FM is defined and delivered.
Government hub named leading workplace
Peterborough site has gained Leesman+ certification.
Office attendance on the rise
Utilisation rates increased this year, with the largest companies achieving the best results.
Corporates driving London flex offices activity
Corporate occupiers have driven an increase in activity in the London market, with the number of desks transacted up 30% year on year.
From presence to experience
New global report highlights a transformational shift in offices.
ISS to collaborate with Microsoft on AI
The goal is to reimagine flexible work powered by AI solutions.
New IAQ chair at BESA
Adam Taylor has been elected as chair of the Indoor Air Quality group of the Building Engineering Services Association.
Health and flexibility top workforce concerns
Global study finds employee health and employer flexibility are key elements in harnessing an age-diverse workforce.
JLL puts the case for better data
More on the ‘hybrid working is here to stay’ theme, with some interesting statistics, too.
Women juggling return-to-office and demands at home
Nearly half of working women in the UK say that their stress levels are higher than a year ago.
Economic outlook, technology and sustainability driving fit-outs
The office fit-out landscape continues to evolve, driven by a confluence of economic, technological and societal shifts.
Flexspace: faith in the future
One of the UK’s major property developers/owners has committed to converting 20% of its office portfolio to flexible space.
Office occupancy almost 'back to normal’
Major cities across Europe show average office occupancy rates of close to 60%.
Third of employees question workplace productivity
Research finds 34% of British employees believing their workplace does not enable them to work productively.
Insights into workplace success
As the 2024 UK’s Best Workplace List is published, a survey of the 250,00 people involved sheds light on what’s important.
Report: a transformative 3 years for CRE
Corporate real estate advisor Colliers is forecasting a new period of value creation opportunities for occupiers and investors beginning this year.
Workplace Futures 2024: programme confirmed
The full programme for February’s FM industry conference is complete and online now.
More ‘we’ space, less ‘me’ space
CBRE survey finds hybrid work is continuing to change how employees work when they are in the office.
HqO buys to grow
The real estate experience platform has acquired the Symbiosy portfolio of smart building solutions.
New chair for Flexible Space Association
Andrea Kolokasi now chairs the flexible workspace providers group.
.jpg)
Best spaces to work in London?
Real estate experience platform HqO has launched a workspace recognition programme for sites in the capital.
RTO: companies need to sell the benefits
If return to the office is the goal, leaders need to be present, extoll the benefits and improve in-office events.
Occupiers eyeing more space
International research indicates more organisations are planning to lease more space in the coming months.
IWFM singles out three workplace megatrends
New report identifies how these are affecting professionals, the sector and the wider business world now and into the future.
Hybrid work on the agenda globally
Most workers may be back in the office for some days, but business leaders still need to meet new expectations.
RTO: wide variations across Europe
Employers in most countries expect people to be in the office more than we do in the UK.
Office occupancy levels climb across Europe
Average office occupancy rates across eight major European cities have risen in the last six months.
WeWork acts to stave off collapse
It's been quite a ride, but now it's come to bankruptcy protection for the flexspace provider.
HqO aims to transform workplace experience
The platform has been selected for a series of UK science and innovation sites.
Tide turning on hybrid working?
New research finds that more professionals are now working full time in an office setting than those who are working in hybrid ways.
Workplace change: headwinds demand careful planning
Current volatile market conditions may give way to some stabilisation in 2024.
RICS releases healthy building guide
Taking on a broad but critical remit, the guide offers advice on designing, delivering and managing healthier buildings.
Remote working here to stay says IoD
A large majority of Institute of Directors members see remote working as a long-term feature.
A licensing system for homeworkers?
A new report suggests employers could introduce a licensing system to ensure homeworkers deliver high performance and work safely.
Corporate backers for ‘definitive’ hybrid working study
The investigation into the impact of hybrid working on people, places and society is aiming for 10,000+ participants from around the world.
CIPD publishes ‘Manifesto for Good Work’
The focus is HR but much of this extends into FM, too.
Top workplace system integrators named
Market research and advisory firm Verdantix has identified five systems integration leaders.
ISS opens innovation lab
The facility services group has officially inaugurated its new Future of Work Innovation Lab in Porto.
AWA expands into India
The workplace consultancy is opening its first hub in the country in recognition of India’s status as an economic powerhouse.
Welcome for indoor air quality standard
The Building Engineering Services Association has praised the creation of the first British Standard for health and wellbeing in buildings.
Is homeworking bad for your health?
Homeworkers are more likely to make questionable dietary decisions, but they are also likely to get more exercise.
Study finds employers cutting back on space
Global research indicates many workers are still coming into the office less than two days a week.
HR “should lean into AI”
That will put it in a position to drive principles about ethical and responsible use to ensure a just and fair transition, says the CIPD.
Acas consulting on flexible working code
The workplace advisory group has opened consultation on updates to its statutory Code of Practice on handling requests for flexible working.
Workplace: connection is key to retention and wellbeing
Three-quarters of office workers are more likely to stay in a job if they’ve built connections with colleagues.
Workplace: what do people want?
Workers increasingly view their work as more than just a source of income, as they seek a deeper relationship with their workplace.
Buildings: new guidelines on inclusion
Guidance will ensure that inclusion is considered at every stage of the design and construction process.
ISS survey reveals worrying workplace trends
While most feel a sense of belonging at work, many worry about sharing opinions and about being treated unfairly.
London flexible office space: growth market
A new market report shows costs down with space available up significantly.
Research: building a future-proof workplace
New research from Sodexo aims to answer the how-to question in the face of continued change.
Companies will pay more for sustainable offices
More evidence that there is a premium on green space, this time from the occupant side of the equation.
Breaks and refreshments count in the workplace
UK employers who encourage their teams to take longer, better quality and more frequent breaks could hold the key to unlocking productivity and improving employee wellbeing.
Critical gaps emerge in workplace solutions
A new global survey points to a costly divide between employee need and employer provision.
Disability: how inclusive is remote and hybrid working?
A nationwide survey has been launched by Lancaster University exploring disabled workers' experiences of these work styles.
Property and people coming together
Real estate decision-making and people-centric strategies are becoming more integrated, according to property advisor CBRE.
CBRE acquires workplace change advisor
The Paris-based workINprogress specialises in workplace strategy and change management services.
Building the future-proof workplace
That’s the theme for Sodexo’s online afternoon event planned for later this week.
Most younger workers back hybrid working
The figure is highest amongst UK Gen Zs (77%) but Millennials, too, (71%) would consider looking for a new job if asked to go into the workplace full-time.
Hybrid workers want to shape work model
Just 14% prefer to have the work model mandated by their employer.
Veolia makes Best Places to Work list
The resource management specialist is in the top group of the best ‘very big’ companies to work for in 2023.
Record flexible occupancy rates
Flexible workspace locations in the UK have hit their highest ever occupancy levels.
Younger workers driving wellbeing trends
Younger generations of workers across the UK are calling for enhanced wellbeing, sustainable and digital workplace practices.
BCO names London’s best-in-class offices
Employee wellbeing and sustainability emerge as defining principles of the leading workplaces, annual awards reveal.
Hybrid working dividend: two weeks a year
New research finds that on average hybrid working employees deliver nearly two extra weeks of work a year for their employer.
The future: it’s hybrid working + collaboration space
A survey from Mace finds that that hybrid working, with a collaborative central space, is the preferred post-pandemic style.
Fit-out costs climbing fast
As post-Covid occupier expectations rise, so too have fit-out costs across key cities.
Ventilation: why clean air is vital to health
The National Engineering Policy Centre has produced a useful interactive infographic highlighting the risks posed by poor ventilation.
Updated client guide to office fit-outs
The revised guide aims to promote best practice in the fit-out process and to take account of new working practices.
Planon launches enhanced workplace app
The new app enables organisations to provide a mobile-first, personalised connection between people and their workplace, services and facilities.
Inviron completes EDF refurbishment
New ways of working sees project complete successfully in nine weeks.
Office sector ‘in the eye of the storm’
A new report on the future of the office finds that while offices are here to stay, the sector is in “a full state of flux”.
Top Leesman rating for government office
The Government Property Agency has achieved Leesman+ certification at its Birmingham Hub.
Flexspace: Tech sector dominates
The Technology, Media and Telecoms sector dominated activity in the European flex market in 2022.
Is hybrid working good for you?
Employers and employees have a differing opinion about the health and wellbeing impact of hybrid working, according to new research.
Energy regulations remain low on the office agenda
New research has found low awareness of new environmental standards despite increased demand for environmentally friendly office space.
Fit-out procurement under the spotlight
New report aims to better understand how procurement practices are affecting the £10bn fit-out industry and how they can be improved.
BCO guidance on greener and healthier offices
New recommendations come in an early update to the British Council for Offices Guide to Specification.
Flexible working: a gift for employers?
New research highlights the importance of flexibility in both employee and employer decision-making, with positive outcomes for both.
ISS unveils Livv
The boutique workplace experience company has officially launched with a mission to help challenger organisations create and maintain inspiring workplaces.
Firms struggle with people data: research
Workforce issues feature in three of the top four business concerns, but people data and discussion aren’t regularly on senior management or boardroom agendas.
IFMA on change and the implications for FM
New research explores how changing organisational priorities are shaping the future of the built environment and FM roles.
Real estate in 2023: partnership and polarisation
JLL is forecasting more bridges built between occupiers and landlords, while the gap between good space and not so good will grow wider.
Back pain trend rises with homeworking
Musculoskeletal disorders are the most common occupational illnesses, with back pain topping the list.
Recycled fit-out for Europe Arab Bank
Designers WILL+Partners have delivered a project that has resulted in significant reductions in the client’s waste production and energy use.
What’s set to shape the built environment?
A new report looks at consumer influence on real estate decisions and identifies four themes that will shape decisions for the future.
Holiday boost for the workplace
Research from Mitie finds over half of office workers saying they are excited to be back in the office over the festive period this year.
Planon secures WELL certification
The Planon Innovation Campus has been awarded certification at the Platinum level by the International WELL Building Institute.
Obstacles rise, occupancy drops
It will surprise no one, but accurate data shows the scale of what happens when commuters face cold weather and rail disruption.
Employees want amenities in the workplace
Employees today want more ‘hotel-style’ amenities such as areas for socialising, state-of-the-art infrastructure, outdoor spaces, onsite cafes, air conditioning and flexible work facilities.
Hybrid working ‘now the norm’
A global study of 220 offices in 33 countries has revealed that hybrid working is becoming established as the norm.
More emphasis needed on inclusive workplaces
The real estate industry has an opportunity to embrace inclusive design and make workplaces more appropriate, according to a new report.
Hybrid workers worry about indoor air quality
New research reveals more than half of UK hybrid workers are concerned poor air quality and ventilation will impact their health.
Mitie addresses FM’s ‘most pressing issues’
A new white paper from the FM group tackles eight key questions shaping the industry’s future.
London offices see ‘flight to quality’
A desire for high quality office space is driving increasing demand for Grade A accommodation in the capital.
More companies using more use data
A CBRE survey of clients finds that closer attention is being paid to patterns in office occupancy, use and function.
Baker to chair Workspace SIG
Ian Baker, head of workplace at EMCOR UK, has been appointed as chair of the IWFM Workspace Special Interest Group.
FM market landscape report online now
Trends & Opportunities, the unique annual review from i-FM, looks closely at the UK industry and how it is shaping up for the future.
‘Hybrid hotchpotch’ brings problems
Evidence is growing that hybrid working works best when it is clearly defined and implemented in line with the needs of an organisation and its employees.
Workplace: flexibility, personalised experience are key
Most companies remain uncertain about what their post-pandemic workplaces will look like.
BCO recommends more space per person
The British Council for Offices is calling for a new method of calculating the amount of space needed per person in the post-pandemic world of work.
Hybrid workers worry about energy costs at home
New research reveals the impact the energy crisis is having on the UK workforce, as 70% of hybrid workers admit they’re concerned about the cost of working from home as bills skyrocket.
Flex trend continues to grow
Flex office stock in Europe will reach around 20% of total office stock over the next 10 years.
Technology critical to hybrid working
Organisations need to implement tailored tools and processes that work for their employees, clients and business models.
Inflation affecting corporate real estate decisions
A new survey conducted by CoreNet Global, the association for CRE professionals, has found that high inflation is adding to the uncertainties felt in the sector.
Sensor specialist tackles desk occupancy
Data collection has become one of the most active areas of development as technology pushes ever further into the workplace.
EFP extends Electronic Arts partnership
Energy Fitness Professionals, the providers of corporate fitness and wellbeing services, has expanded its long-term partnership with video game giant Electronic Arts.
Summer heat: the importance of technology
Post-pandemic, the Building Controls Industry Association says, people are expecting their employers to take steps to ensure their place of work is a comfortable environment.
Workplace: the future is hybrid + office
Hybrid working is set to become the dominant model, but decision-makers still believe the corporate office is critical to doing business.
Post-Covid working: measuring the change
A global study of nearly 80 offices in 13 countries representing nearly 80,000 employees has revealed a seismic shift in working patterns.
JLL and HqO extend strategic relationship
The real estate advisory group and the workplace experience platform have sharpened their focus on the importance of workplace experience for building owners and occupiers.
Return-to-the-office challenges?
Subsidised food and beverages could be key to bringing employees back to the workplace, especially during the cost-of-living crisis.
The purpose of the office: it’s complicated
Not just a place to work, for many the office plays a key role in intergenerational learning, social mobility and meeting L&D responsibilities.
Demand for flex space on the rise
Flexibility is increasingly becoming a key strategic driver for businesses, in terms of future planning and gaining an edge in talent attraction.
Three-quarters of employers offer hybrid working
New data from the CIPD shows that more than three-quarters of organisations have embraced hybrid working through a mix of formal and informal arrangements.
HqO acquires Leesman
HqO, an industry-leading workplace experience platform, has announced the acquisition of Leesman, the world’s leader in measuring employee workplace experience.
BCO sees need for new design criteria
The British Council for Offices is proposing updated design criteria for its reference work, the BCO Guide to Specification.
JLL: hybrid working is permanent
Research from the property services group finds that this model has become the most popular option for office workers.
Mid-market firms struggle with hybrid working
New research from business advisers Grant Thornton finds that since the lifting of Covid restrictions in February, the number of firms reporting hybrid working solutions has fallen.
BCO: invest in design for neurodiversity
The British Council for Offices is calling for more inclusive design, regulatory change and also proposing design recommendations.
Workplace: coping with new realities
PwC’s new Workforce Hopes and Fears survey is a reminder of just how much things have changed over the past couple of years.
Workplace investment aims to drive engagement
Employee engagement is the top priority for global businesses and nearly two-thirds are investing in their offices with this in mind.
Five days a week is so over
The majority of UK organisations seem to be settling into a middle ground between Covid-driven work-from-home practices and post-pandemic everyone-back-to-the-office policies.
CBRE increases commitment to flex space
The property services group has announced a new $100m investment in Industrious, a rapidly growing provider of premium flexible workplace solutions.
Majority still favour hybrid working
In CBRE’s latest EMEA Occupier Sentiment Survey 72% of companies said they are moving towards a hybrid workplace model.
IWMS: the future is CPIP
Move over integrated workplace management systems. Make way for connected portfolio intelligence platforms.
Unions push for indoor air quality pledge
Trade unions and scientists want employers to sign a pledge to protect the health and wellbeing of their employees by improving workplace conditions.
May 12th was a big day in the office
Last Thursday office occupancy in the UK reached an average of 42%, the highest national daily average since the start of the pandemic in March 2020.
i-FM Technology in FM Award: entry open
Doing great things with technology in FM? We want to hear from you.
Hybrid working: productivity on the rise
The number of employers who report that an increase in homeworking has increased their organisation’s productivity or efficiency has jumped significantly over the last year.
Companies under-investing in hybrid working
New research suggests a lack of planning and investment in hybrid working is threatening to derail a widespread successful return to the office.
How green is your business?
A new report has identified four types of corporate approach to sustainability to help businesses establish just how green they are.
GPA identifies trends for 2022
This year will be a pivotal one for the workplace, says the Government Property Agency.
Hybrid working: there’s no going back
We are not the same people who went home to work in early 2020: the past two years have left a lasting imprint.
10 lessons from the pandemic
Two years ago we were moving into Covid-19 lockdown, setting off what has been called the largest change in how people work in living memory.
Sodexo forms FM alliance in Ireland
The workplace services provider has announced a new strategic alliance with Dublin-headquartered Sensori Facilities Management.
Workplace: the future is technology
That’s certainly the way IWG, parent to Regus and other flex space brands, sees it as it backs a merger with specialist The Instant Group.
Workplace: more doors opening
The number of offices open in both London and the UK has reached figures not seen since the start of the pandemic in March 2020.
Include active commuting in ESG policies, says BCO
Putting active commuting at the heart of ESG policies can shift commuters towards more sustainable forms of travel, improve individual health and wellbeing and help companies cut carbon emissions.
Sodexo gets a Vital Spaces makeover
New investment in the London headquarters prioritises the employee experience and creates a showcase for the company’s eco-system of workplace services.
Mitie unveils new workplace design solution
Into the changing world of work comes Sphere, a new technology solution to help businesses design the most effective workspaces for their people.
Workplace: generations ‘not on the same page’
An extensive survey finds 60% of professionals reporting a rise in new challenges post-pandemic when working with colleagues from different generations.
Surveillance risks ‘spiralling out of control’
Intrusive worker surveillance technology needs stronger regulation to ensure protection, warns the TUC.
Grant Thornton: hybrid working works
Internal research shows the business adviser’s UK staff reporting increased productivity and wellbeing.
Navigating changing views on work and the workplace
Employers will be making a potentially fatal mistake if they use the end of Covid-19 restrictions to force staff back into the office every day, says a leading management consultancy.
Post-pandemic period sparks demand for cleaning
UK businesses are prioritising the health and wellness of their employees, as new data reveals an increase of up to 90% in demand for office cleaners across the UK.
Designing inclusive workplaces
A new white paper delivers insights and inspiration for DE&I, HR and business leaders.
RICS unveils IBOS framework
The International Building Operation Standard promises a new approach to measure and manage how buildings perform for people.
Directors back remote working
An Institute of Directors survey of almost 700 business leaders has shown that around 8 out of 10 organisations plan to adopt remote working in the long-term.
Savills buys workplace platform
In another significant move on the proptech front the firm’s investment subsidiary has acquired tenant and workplace experience platform Cureoscity.
Hybrid working: Deloitte confirms strategy
The business advisor has embraced the future and outlined how its 22,000 UK employees will see work and the workplace change.
JLL secures international workplace deal
Standard Chartered Bank has appointed the firm to support workplace and workforce transformation and net zero carbon commitments.
Commercial landlords struggle to attract tenants
Recent market research found 62% of UK commercial landlords having trouble attracting prospective tenants to fill traditional office spaces.
Hybrid working: 14forty offers advice
With the Plan B return to homeworking followed more recently by a change in government advice, there continues to be some confusion around hybrid working and how to make it best work.
Views on the future of work remain mixed
Covid restrictions are being relaxed and central government is calling for people to return to the workplace, but the views of workers are mixed on this.
SoftBank Robotics joins forces with Infogrid
The leading provider of autonomous cobots has formed a strategic partnership with the leading provider of smart building systems.
Many companies not ready for workplace change
A new report finds that organisations risk losing out on key talent unless they improve the quality of their real estate and embed flexible working post-Covid.
EMCOR UK launches workplace app
AXIS is designed to enhance the workplace experience by seamlessly connecting organisations with their employees.
Hybrid working: not easy for everyone
Research carried out just prior to the Plan B switch back to homeworking found many mid-market businesses struggling to implement hybrid working.
Offices: stark warning on the work environment
Office buildings that fail to demonstrate how they support the health and wellbeing of users will swiftly become redundant.
IWFM warns on worker welfare
As employees return to work following the holidays, many will not be returning to the office as they had previously expected.
Demand for flex space rising
As office occupiers adjust to pandemic uncertainties, many are taking the view that flexibility is the greatest benefit on offer.
Covid-19: back to working from home
Employers should be well placed for the Plan B change, says CIPD.
Majority of employers favour day-one flexible working
Over two-fifths of employers say they will be more likely to grant requests for flexible working after the end of pandemic restrictions than they were before Covid-19.
Office occupiers plan workplace change
Nearly three-quarters of office occupiers expect to transform their workplace design in the next two years.
Tech visionaries envision virtual workplace
British tech innovators PixelMax have outlined their vision for the hybrid work revolution and the future of the virtual workplace metaverse.
Hybrid working: companies grapple with change
As companies bring employees back to the office, they are also coming to terms with how to manage varying occupation levels, plus new needs and expectations.
Workplace investment tool launched
The Return on Workplace Investment Tool is a calculator for determining the impact of workplace projects on organisational performance.
Senior execs focused on a hybrid future
Ipsos MORI’s latest Captains of Industry survey has found most expecting the pandemic to have a lasting impact on how and where people work.
CBRE takes on workplace change issues
The property services group has published two new white papers looking at the implications of change in how and where people work.
Employers retreat on flexible working concept
Commercial occupiers’ willingness to allow all employees the choice to work remotely fell from 39% to 26% between March and September 2021.
Air quality: vacuuming makes a real difference
Against a background of growing concern about indoor air quality, one provider of sophisticated cleaning equipment launched research into whether vacuuming could be a ‘hidden’ weapon in the quality arsenal.
Cushman & Wakefield invests in WeWork
The real estate services firm has made a strategic investment of $150m in the global flexible space provider WeWork.
Johnson Controls develops all-in-one solution
The building services specialist says its new system can track sustainability, health and wellness metrics while also reducing energy and water use, waste and carbon footprint.
.jpg)
Law firms facing up to change
Often regarded as amongst the most conservative business types, the UK’s legal sector is moving swiftly to embrace operational and market changes.
Flex space demand grows
Demand for flexible offices is expected to recover to more than 10% of overall UK office demand in 2022.
ABM tackles indoor air quality
Responding to the impact of Covid-19, the facilities solutions company has launched a programme of services designed to help businesses make improvements in IAQ.
Workplace: majority of staff expected back by year-end
But new research from the Chartered Management Institute also finds that many people will not return till next spring.
Hybrid working could boost social mobility
New research has uncovered another potential benefit of a more flexible approach to work and the workplace.
RICS opens consultation on IBOS
The RICS-developed International Building Operations Standard is an innovative data-led standard that goes beyond the traditional ways of measuring building performance.
CBRE plans ‘next normal’ event
The property services group has announced plans for a thought-leadership event focused on ‘The Next Normal’ at its London HQ in October.
The workplace challenge: triggering new investment
Corporate real estate and facilities management teams are planning new technology investments across employee workplace experience, asset management and cloud-based security solutions.
Covid-19: permanent shifts in the business landscape
Post-Covid changes are likely to bolster major cities outside London and boost UK productivity, as new work patterns stick.
Employee experience driving IT investment
IT and workplace decision-makers are prioritising technology solutions that enhance employee experience and engagement despite ongoing budget constraints.
Flex, tech and wellbeing moving up the agenda
CBRE’s latest EMEA Occupier Survey provides good insights into thinking across this dynamic sector.
C&W partners with WeWork
Real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield has teamed up with the flexible space provider to develop flex space solutions for landlords and occupiers.
Eurest and 14forty collaborate on office refit
The workplace caterer and the FM services provider have invested in enhanced employee wellbeing and nutrition in their Birmingham workspace.
Amey lauded for Future Office Initiative
Amey Consulting has been presented with an Initiative of the Year Award by RoSPA, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.
Employers expect more flexible work requests
A new survey from Acas has found that half of employers in Great Britain expect an increase in demand for flexible forms of working post-pandemic.
EMCOR supports wellbeing at work report
The FM company was among a number of collaborators working with Business in the Community to produce the report.
Workplace expectations: trouble ahead?
Staff may be officially returning to the office, but if employers don’t offer the right working experience 60% will leave or become less motivated, according to new research.
Demand for flexible space climbs
Savills-backed flexible office specialist Workthere is reporting enquiries for space up by 48% on pre-Covid levels.
Floor captains: key to the future of the office
Specialist provider of tailored guest services Portico has launched a new white paper exploring the role of floor captains and the value they bring to the workplace.
RICS Global Conference 2021: review
Some 16 months after the Covid-19 pandemic began, it feels like we’ve reached the final stages of grief.
BESA offers air quality guide
The removal of most Covid restrictions has increased calls for practical guidance and the setting of specific indoor air quality targets to support the health and wellbeing of building occupants.
.jpg)
Sodexo names workplace design partner
TSK Group has joined the partnership that underpins Vital Spaces, Sodexo’s people-centric proposition for workplace.
Freespace supporting workplace occupancy research
The workplace technology company is assisting Cardiff University with a study of occupancy patterns at the Open Space Network building in Warminster.
BSC launches new Five Star Audit for 2021
The British Safety Council’s Five Star Occupational Health and Safety Audit has been revised and updated.
Employees know what they want post-Covid
We’ve said it before and it remains true: one side-effect of the pandemic has been a steady stream of workplace-related research.
A snapshot of FM opinion
At Tuesday’s Workplace Futures conference we ran a series of polls to test views on some of the questions currently being considered and debated across the industry. The results are interesting, and occasionally intriguing.
Workplace Futures: return to the workplace
Yesterday’s conference could not have been more timely and on-target, addressing the needs of not just the FM sector but all those in support service roles.
Corporate occupiers grapple with Covid response
Global office occupancy rates decreased in June compared to May as organisations introduced strategies to tackle the resurgence in coronavirus cases.
Workplace Futures hits a nerve
And ‘nerve’ seems to be the right word, as the build-up to Tuesday’s conference is uncovering a lot of nervousness in the workplace community as the focus turns to dropping Covid restrictions.
Redefining ‘Freedom Day’
Freedom Day shouldn’t signal a mass return to workplaces, but it could signal the start of greater freedom and flexibility in how, when and where people work.
Wellbeing climbs the corporate agenda
Workplace wellbeing will be more important to organisations than product and service innovation, according to research conducted by Bartlett Mitchell.
Big jump in spending on workplace software coming
The overall market for space and workplace management software will grow from $0.9bn in 2021 to surpass $1.7bn in 2026.
Ventilation revolution needs funding
Public funding is urgently needed to ensure buildings benefit from improved awareness around mechanical ventilation systems and airborne disease risk.
Skanska building hits new WELL target
A flagship London office has set a new standard in sustainable workspaces by becoming the first in the UK to achieve WELL Platinum under the new v2 pilot scheme.
Wates adopts flexible working
The company, which employs nearly 4,000 people across the UK, is encouraging them all to experiment with different working patterns that improve their working life.
Research: job quality still falling short
As Covid shines a new light on people, work and workplace, employers are being urged to better understand job quality and to focus on making work a force for good.
Offices: post-Covid gap between occupiers and providers
A new report argues that occupier expectations for building performance are not being met, and that could harm long-term property values.
Awards: BCO crowns best offices
Taunton’s UK Hydrographic Office Headquarters was named Best of the Best at the British Council for Offices’ National Awards last night.
Employers to reduce office space by up to 9m sq ft
The latest addition to the ongoing debate about the future of offices in the UK comes from PwC’s latest Occupier Survey.
Mid-size firms plan to halve office time
A survey of UK mid-size businesses shows a clear shift towards long-term remote working.
BMG partners for sustainable furniture solutions
Business Moves Group is teaming up with sustainable office furniture solutions specialist The Coggin Group.
Suppliers ready but need a plan
As Covid restrictions are eased, more organisations are thinking about the reopening of offices. Can they depend on their suppliers?
BESA calls for new ventilation standards
The Building Engineering Services Association is supporting a campaign to have current building ventilation regulations completely rewritten.
Offices: four trends shaping the future
The office sector is on the cusp of considerable change, says Helical chief executive Gerald Kaye.
Offices: occupiers and landlords out of step?
New research suggests tenants expect changes in space use post-pandemic while landlords don’t.
New normal: old ways won’t work
To succeed in a hybrid future, organisations must stop duplicating office-centric practices and shift to a human-centric model.
Spica awarded grant for workplace app
Birmingham-based Spica Technologies has been awarded over £200,000 in funding to develop a plug and play workplace experience app.
Office occupancy data shows slow return
Data captured by workplace technology specialist Freespace shows low, but rising, occupancy levels.
Workplace Futures July set to launch
Following the success of February’s virtual conference, this year for the first time there will be a second. July’s event, free to attend, will tackle the return to the workplace.
WFH: interaction remains high on the ‘want’ list
A poll run by ISS UK during Lockdown 3 found that 67% of respondents missed social engagement when working from home.
Directors look to future of hybrid working
An IoD survey of 600 business leaders has shown that over 60% of organisations plan to adopt hybrid working even after restrictions ease.
Hybrid working: lease terms may limit take-up
A survey of UK business leaders has found that many organisations may have to wait to adopt a hybrid working model because of being locked into a long-term lease.
Flexibility rising up the corporate agenda
‘Before’ and ‘after’ Covid surveys show growing flexibility in approaches to issues attached to work and the workplace.
Johnson Controls partners with IWBI
The building systems specialist has announced a partnership with the International WELL Building Institute to promote global application of the WELL Building Standard.
7.5m workers hope homeworking is permanent
Almost a quarter of UK workers are hoping to work from home all, or almost all, of the time once lockdown restrictions have lifted.
Mid-sized businesses back post-pandemic remote working
Just 5% of over 600 mid-sized businesses surveyed believe that full-time office working will be most effective for their people post-pandemic.
BCO calls for multisensory design
New research from the British Council for Offices argues that a multisensory approach to workplace design can help improve wellbeing.
Mitie offers workplace return advice
With the prospect of a return to the workplace climbing the corporate agenda businesses must adapt their premises to recover quickly, according to a new guide.
Employees willing to pay for hybrid working
The commitment to change is considerable. In a US study nearly two-thirds of employees said they are willing to pay for access to office space to support new ways of work.
More than two-thirds want flexible working
Most workers in the UK want flexible working to continue, according to extensive new research from Microsoft.
New tools to prevent, reduce and manage stress
As more organisations begin to think about post-lockdown plans the Health & Safety Executive is urging employers to review stress-causing factors in work and workplaces.
Workplace Futures white paper available now
February’s FM conference tackled the big topic of sustainability challenges and opportunities in a very well-received return as an in-person event.
Workplace Futures white paper available now
February’s FM conference tackled the big topic of sustainability challenges and opportunities in a very well-received return as an in-person event.
Workplace Futures white paper available now
February’s FM conference tackled the big topic of sustainability challenges and opportunities in a very well-received return as an in-person event.
Employees want reassurance
More than half of UK employees thinking about returning to the workplace would feel more comfortable if their employer used data to improve the healthiness of the building.
Managing employee experience in a hybrid world
Covid-19 has transformed both the nature of work and the role of the workplace. A new report looks at how businesses can overcome the emerging employee experience challenges.
The business case for air quality
Improving air quality is not just the right thing to do in terms of public health but will also have a significant impact on business profitability and productivity.
Hybrid working must be part of government strategy
A new think-tank report calls on the government to incentivise the establishment of more local offices and hybrid-working initiatives.
IWG sees the benefit of hybrid working
The group behind brands including Regus is seeing its market grow as companies begin to think about post-pandemic workplace solutions.
Shaping the future of work
As more employers begin to plan a return to the office, the shift toward a worker-centric model should be top of mind, says JLL.
Too many workplaces not ready for post-pandemic use
New research shows that workspaces currently on offer to a returning workforce are largely not up to scratch.
BCO: offices should address poor ventilation ‘urgently’
The British Council for Offices is calling on developers, owners and occupiers to ensure that UK offices have adequate ventilation ahead of a return to the workplace.
Law firm to review workplace strategy
International firm Clifford Chance has appointed Cushman & Wakefield to carry out a strategic review of its London occupational requirements.
Return to workplace threatens environmental dividend
With the government revealing its roadmap for the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions, it is becoming clear that the green gains of the pandemic could be lost.
FMs confident and looking for growth
A poll of the more than 350 delegates at this year’s Workplace Futures conference provides good insights into what FMs expect to see over the coming months.
Safety Council wants tougher Covid rules
The British Safety Council is calling on government and the HSE to strengthen and enforce Covid Secure workplace rules to protect workers.
CBRE takes stake in flex space provider
The group has acquired a 35% interest in Industrious, a provider of premium flexible workplace solutions in the US.
WFH: not for everyone all the time
The weight of information building up behind the view that office work has changed forever is considerable, though there is still much we don’t know.
GoSpace AI teams up with JLL
The plan is to deliver a revolutionary occupancy management solution for the post-pandemic hybrid workplace.
Mid-sized companies look to cut office space
Over a third of UK mid-sized businesses expect to reduce the amount of space they hold in the future.
2021: what’s in store for the flex space market?
2019 was a year of optimism and growth for providers, and 2020 was a year of uncertainty and challenge. So what comes next?
Office hygiene remains top concern
Another survey sampling the UK’s working population has found most wanting to get back to the office, but only if it is clean and safe.
IWG optimistic despite persistent pandemic
The flex space operator says its anticipated recovery has been delayed into 2021 as virus control measures remain in place in many of its markets.
Majority do not feel safe in buildings
Over 70% of the UK workforce does not feel completely safe working in their employer’s buildings.
Businesses spending more on healthy buildings
An independent survey of more than 800 building decision-makers shows a clear shift to increased investment in healthy building trends and technologies.
Businesses warned on crisis of trust
Organisations face a crisis of trust this year if they continue to make workplace decisions in the dark.
Covid-19 & CRE: the same but different
The property professionals group CoreNet Global has been tracking members’ views on the lasting effects of the pandemic. They have evolved but the themes remain consistent.
Workplace change: communication guide offered
Magenta, the communications agency for the built environment, has launched a guide to help businesses to communicate better as many think again about plans for a return to the office.
Real estate and the Covid-19 pandemic
The corporate property world was already changing when the coronavirus arrived. The real challenge now is handling the new pace of that change,
New report looks at pandemic productivity
Property advisors Avison Young looked into which elements of office-based and home-based working influence knowledge worker productivity.
.jpg)
Offices: shift predicted in central London demand
Demand for high quality office space in London will remain robust post-Covid, but what companies want and where they want it will change.
Cautious businesses hold back on decisions
Businesses across the UK are rethinking the role of the workplace in these pandemic-hit times, but many remain unwilling to commit to transformational change.
Tracking office use as lockdowns come and go
Office occupancy during the second lockdown remained six times higher than during the first, building sensor data shows.
Infogrid raises $15.5m to accelerate growth
The company, founded in 2018, is set on "making the unfulfilled promise of scalable IoT a reality". And it is targeting FM in particular.
EY pioneers hub & spoke model
Regus parent IWG will provide both a home-base and remote working sites for the business advisor’s Norway team.
Sodexo launches Vital Spaces
The new offering brings together the company’s diverse expertise to provide employers with a connected, people-centric approach to transforming the workplace.
JLL signs workplace deal with BP
JLL is to provide workplace and real estate solutions to support the oil and gas group's transformation and net zero carbon ambitions.
Planning for 2021
What's on the agenda for the coming year? FM never stands still for long: we want to hear about your workplace plans. And we have something to offer in return.
Covid-19: a boost for technology in the workplace
The pandemic could be the death knell for 'dumb buildings' as it catalyses and accelerates the long-term shift to smart technologies.
Work, workplace, risk: shaping property in 2021
Ten trends, all in play now, will shape the commercial real estate industry in the coming year.
Workplace: the future is more human-centric
The workplace of the future will be versatile and hybrid, focusing on employee-centric solutions, according to a global survey.
Workplace: a post-Covid flight to quality
The next three to five years will see a strong focus on flexibility, demanded by both workers and corporates, relating to work activity, space and location.
HR: key trends shaping the future
A new report identifies the trends that will have an impact on organisations, work and workers.
Spica to deliver workplace app for Mace
The workplace experience app will initially be available at the construction management group's global headquarters in London.
Should we tax homeworkers?
A new report from Deutsche Bank suggests that the answer should be yes, bringing a new dimension to discussions about what the 'new normal' might look like.
Third of home-workers feel disconnected
Data from Leesman's ongoing home-working study of more than 145,000 workers has revealed that a significant number of employees feel disconnected from their colleagues and their organisation.
Travel to work: management advice
Amongst everything else Covid-19 has impacted, there's the journey to work. Whether travelling now or at some point in the future, that journey may well need a rethink.
Generational divide in views on place of work
Older home-workers are showing a significantly greater preference for returning to the office than their younger counterparts, according to new research.
Workplace Week full line-up confirmed
The four-day festival showcasing how world-leading organisations are navigating the challenges of 2020 is set to provide virtual delegates with a window into multiple work strategies.
A hub & spoke future?
Over a third of business leaders are considering downsizing their primary office space and shifting towards smaller satellite offices.
BCO reveals London award winners
Five businesses have been recognised in London at the annual British Council for Offices regional awards.
Is flex space the answer?
It could be, says a new report, at least for many UK occupiers facing an uncertain future and needing an alternative to traditional corporate accommodation.
.jpg)
Workplace change: research backs research
An extensive report on the future of the office and office workers in the UK confirms that the seismic change in the way people work now is here to stay.
Hybrid workplaces will not work for everyone
Organisations could be caught up in a matrix of pain if they do not carefully manage the new realities of hybrid working.
Law firms looking to hybrid working
Even lawyers, perhaps the most traditional-minded when it comes to offices, now seem convinced that the future is about flexibility.
Commercial property: time for a change
For a whole series of reasons there is change underway in the property world, but underlying this is a more fundamental question: what is property actually for?
Calls for POE on all publicly funded buildings
Post-occupancy evaluation should be standard practice to ensure all new buildings meet intended energy efficiency ratings and provide optimum value for money.
Workplace Trends online next week
The long-running conference series will be back, in virtual form, with a strong programme on 15 October.
Lockdown good news: waste levels drop
According to facilities services group PHS, the amount of washroom waste generated by UK organisations in the last four months dropped by 49% year on year.
Working from home works
Research with a sample size of more than 125,000 workers shows that the home is outperforming the office in some fundamental areas.
Workplace Week to go virtual for 2020
The annual showcase for some of the best in work models and workstyles from some of the world's most forward-thinking organisations will take place 9–12 November.
C&W enters flex space market
Cushman & Wakefield, the global real estate services firm, has teamed up with workplace operator Industrious to offer a flexible space solution.
Covid-19: health and safety climb the agenda
The great pandemic work-from-home experiment has proved, broadly, a success. But a quarter of such workers express some concern about their mental wellbeing.
Home-working works, but mental health support needed
New research from the CIPD shows the shift to home-working over the lockdown period has been a positive experience for most employers.
Less space, close to transport
As Londoners start to return to the city, flexible space providers are seeing some clear trends emerge.
CEOs see 'enduring shift' in office use
More than two-thirds of UK CEOs believe there will be a shift towards low density office usage as a consequence of the Covid-19 experience.
Online tool aims to get office occupiers thinking
A property consultancy has launched an online service to help organisations determine what their occupancy requirements will be in preparation for employees returning to the office.
Uneven recovery for flex space operators
Remote working may be an increasingly popular idea, but currently UK flexible office providers are seeing much lower levels of occupancy than elsewhere in Europe.
Sodexo launches Space eXperience
The group's workplace experience design consultancy, Wx, has launched a connected building management solution that supports organisations' return to the office.
Mixed feelings about returning to the office
Many are already back and some don't know when or if they will be back, as employers look for the best way forward.
We have seen the future and it is mixed
A report from property advisors JLL concludes that the pandemic working-from-home experiment is forcing companies to re-imagine the future of work and question the purpose of the office.
Autonomy makes the world go round
Pandemic lockdown or not, the key to good performance, and to success for every business, is employee happiness powered by autonomy.
Altuity teams up with BenefitFM
Altuity, the maintenance, facilities and asset management software company, has launched a new partnership with consultancy BenefitFM.
Return to work must be gradual, says CIPD
The Prime Minister's call for employers to begin bringing people back into the workplace in August has drawn another cautious response.
Flex space: JLL benefits from Serendipity
Another vote in favour of a flexible workspace future as US provider Serendipity Labs appoints the property services group to develop a series of UK locations over the next two years.
Londoners looking for a healthier commute
New statistics from a premium workspace provider suggest that the main concern for businesses post-lockdown is whether employees can get to and from work safely.
Coronavirus driving demand for flexible space
The trend towards workplace mobility was not created as a result of the pandemic, but it was certainly accelerated by it.
Sitemark launches home-working tool
The independent benchmarking service has launched a working from home wellness assessment tool to support businesses and employees.
Avison Young launches cost containment service
The new offer aims to support strategy development for a post-Covid environment, while building for a resilient and sustainable future.
Preference for home-working grows
New research commissioned by IWFM has found that the number of employees who do not want to return to the office has nearly doubled since the start of the lockdown.
HSE urges businesses to become Covid-secure
The Health and Safety Executive is calling for businesses in Great Britain to make sure they are Covid-secure as more sectors open their doors.
Spica to deliver workplace app for Zurich
Spica Technologies is developing a user-centric workplace experience solution for use at insurance group Zurich's new global headquarters in Switzerland.
Pest control: advice for FMs offered
National trade body the British Pest Control Association has issued a new guide to help facilities managers re-open premises as lockdown restrictions ease.
BSI updates Covid-19 guidance
Version 2 of BSI's Safe Working Guidelines has been published.
Post-lockdown expectations: divided opinion looms?
One unexpected side-effect of pandemic lockdown has been a steadily growing file of surveys carried out to uncover experiences and views. A number of these point towards a significant divide about the future of work.
Return to work: getting it right
Getting the workplace ready to reopen is a complex challenge and, happily, there is plenty of advice available. Ensuring the business itself is ready for reopening is a different challenge altogether.
The future of global office demand
A new report argues that increased working from home doesn't equate to reduced demand for office space. The situation is more complex than that.
9 to 5 is so in the past
That's the conclusion of a survey of building occupiers carried out by CoreNet Global, the corporate real estate professionals group.
Offices are vital, but need to change
Property services group Savills has published the results of a survey of its clients, and it is clear that change is on the cards.
The downside of working remotely
Trust, social cohesion and information sharing are the areas most potentially vulnerable to damage when people work virtually.
Engie offers Workspace 2 guide
"Covid-19 has presented an unprecedented challenge to all professionals involved in managing and maintaining buildings."
Businesses look to more remote working
71% of UK businesses are planning to permanently adopt flexible and agile working practices post the Covid-19 lockdown.
The future looks different
If the weight of opinion in survey research is a reliable indicator, there's no way the UK is going back to pre-Covid patterns once lockdown is lifted and 'normal' returns.
CBRE tests occupier sentiment
Occupiers across EMEA are planning to increase investment in technology, driven in large part by a post-lockdown focus on the employee experience.
Sodexo introduces hygiene verification
The group is partnering with Bureau Veritas, the testing, inspection and certification specialist, to introduce a hygiene verification label for its procedures and services.
Covid-19: free risk training app offered
The engineering services group Ramboll has launched an interactive training app to help businesses prepare for returning to the office.
Property: corporates looking for more flexibility
Demand by corporate owners to release capital from their real estate assets is increasing, spurred along by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Is it safe to work here?
Technology firm MyTAG has developed a new system to help companies ensure the safety and cleanliness of office spaces as employees return.
The future of the workplace: a mix of locations
The results of a global survey on working from home during the pandemic point toward a shift from office-based to a "total workplace ecosystem", balancing office, home and other locations.
BSI publishes safe working guidelines
The UK's National Standards Body has published new safe working guidelines to help businesses manage the return to work and the reoccupation of their facilities.
Home-working: a success for most in financial services
Almost three-quarters of employees (70%) working in financial services rate their working from home experience as positive, according to a new survey from Deloitte.
Return to work: employee experience gets high priority
A survey of HR professionals finds almost two-thirds prioritising employee experience more highly now than before the coronavirus outbreak.
UK workers have mixed views on where they want to work
Rumours of the demise of the office are much exaggerated is the predictable conclusion emerging from research commissioned by the British Council for Offices.
Honeywell offers real-time 'healthy building' solution
With the prospect of a return to the workplace nearing a reality for many, support strategies of all shapes and sizes continue to emerge from product and service suppliers.
Back to work: social distancing will be critical
A UK-based technology company providing workplace sensors, digital signage and data intelligence has launched a social distancing solution to support businesses with the phased return to work.
Employers plan cautious return
Most companies plan to take a gradual approach to bringing employees back to their workplaces as governments begin to lift restrictions tied to Covid-19.
Lockdown working: what are we learning?
Last week we launched a quick poll of the FM community, asking if people were looking forward to returning to their usual places of work. There's a lot of ambivalence out there, and the reasons for that hold some lessons for us all.
myfm offers return to work guide
The specialist FM consultancy and interim management organisation has pooled the expertise of its team and its associates to produce a guide to preparing buildings for safe occupancy following lockdown.
CIPD: three tests before bringing people back
The UK HR body says employers should not bring their people back into the workplace until they have taken all practical steps to ensure employees feel safe
IWFM: people worry about coming back
As lockdown measures begin to ease, many UK office workers are concerned about going back to the office. But working from home isn't perfect either.
Government publishes back-to-work guidance
A series of publications aim to offer practical guidelines to make workplaces as safe as possible and give people confidence to go back to work during the pandemic.
Cool workplace: lower temperatures coming?
CIBSE has been cited in the Sunday Times, advising that building managers increase the amount of exterior air flowing into the workplace in order to reduce the concentration of any Covid-19 particles.
Anxious about returning to the workplace?
If so, you are not alone. Over 40% of employees share that feeling because of Covid-19, according to a new survey published by the CIPD.
Mitie offers post-lockdown guidance
As the lifting of some lockdown restrictions is reviewed by government, Mitie has published a return-to-work guide for facilities managers.
Does coronavirus spell the end of hotdesking?
Workplace design experts are predicting the pandemic could prove a major challenge to the future of hotdesking.
BCO: looking at change in the workplace
Screens to protect receptionists, touchless unisex toilets and reduced occupational density are all likely to be features of the post Covid-19 workplace.
Prepare for significant change to workplace catering
Workplace takeaways, shift-based lunches and more pre-ordering are all likely to be part of a new service pattern when the covid-19 lockdown period has passed.
C&W launches post-covid recovery service
Global real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield has formed a Recovery Readiness Task Force to assist clients with post-covid-19 returns to the workplace.
Air cleaning should be standard practice
Clean air technologies and strategies should be adopted by every healthcare facility in the UK in the wake of the covid-19 pandemic.
LGBT+ in FM: how to stay connected
The successful LGBT+ in FM group has stepped up to provide community support during the coronavirus crisis.
Leesman unveils covid-19 research initiative
The workplace assessment specialist, backed by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the International Facility Management Association, has launched a fast-track initiative to look into the impacts of covid-19 on FM and real estate.
Coronavirus: UK not prepared for homeworking
Figures released by the workplace analysis firm Leesman suggest that the UK is one of the least prepared countries to weather a mass homeworking strategy.
Coronavirus: workplace risk assessment tool
Sitemark, the independent benchmarking service, has released a free workplace risk assessment tool in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
Coronavirus: advice for employers and employees
With developments coming fast, anyone who feels overwhelmed by the flow of information, advice and opinion could certainly be forgiven. There are several good basic sources applicable to the workplace.
Cushman & Wakefield unveils flexible workspace service
The property services group has joined others in the business, along with developers and property owners, with the launch of a flex offering.
IWG reports strong growth
The flex space market is a good one: IWG plc, parent to Regus and a handful of other brands, has posted record results for 2019.
Corporate real estate: what to expect in 2020
January is the traditional time to make predictions and resolutions for the year ahead and so it was that CoreNet UK brought together a panel to debate the big issues facing the industry. Cathy Hayward reports.
Interserve offers insights into workplace effectiveness
A new report explores the 'workplace effectiveness index', a methodology tested at the company's own award-winning HQ in Birmingham.
The future of work is the future of the city
A poll of over 30,000 full- and part-time workers across 50 cities in 18 countries has found people significantly more optimistic about their local communities than the state of their nations.
Plants@Work gets a clean-up for 2020
The not-for-profit industry association for interior landscapers has given its website a thorough makeover to make it more accessible and useful to visitors.
Is coworking the answer?
The system of shared office space that offers tenants shorter leases and plug-and-pay spaces has made a big impact on the property world. But what's really behind its appeal, and does it have a long-term future?
Knight Frank unveils flexible workspace offer
It's beginning to look like the corporate property advisors' must-have. The list of firms offering a flexible space service seems to growth monthly.
Work smarter, not harder
Greg Bortkiewicz reports from WorkTech London 2019, where the key theme was 'transformation requires a human-centric approach for success'.
Flexible workspaces: good for local economies
New research from workspace provider Regus calculates the value that flexible office space and coworking locations would likely bring to local areas as operators look beyond major city locations.
Sodexo consolidates smart building expertise
Sodexo has confirmed the launch of Wx, a consultancy specialising in workplace experience design, calling the move clear evidence of its commitment to services for the work environment.
IWFM launches degree-level workplace qualification
Sixty learners have enrolled in the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management's newly created Level 6 Diploma in Workplace, launching what it calls a ground-breaking qualification.
Helsinki site is first to be Leesman+ certified in Finland
The technology company Wärtsilä has received Leesman+ certification for the Helsinki Campus where the company's almost 500 employees working in the capital city area moved one year ago.
Corporates still see value in coworking
Big commercial organisations are using flexible workspace solutions and seeing the benefits; but they are also seeing some of the limitations.
Mixed messages on coworking
Research from design firm Gensler on the rise of flexible workspace in the UK corporate sector has found that 40% of flexible space users would rather work from a conventional office.
IWFM partners with Microsoft on smart workplaces
The Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management has kicked off a research and development collaboration with the technology giant.
Future Office Awards open for entry
Into a crowded awards calendar comes a new scheme launched by London-based office specialists ThirdWay to celebrate the changing workspace. The top prize is £100K towards an office fit-out.
C&W recruits workplace visionary
Workplace has become a big area of competition for property services groups. The latest move sees Cushman & Wakefield recruiting Nicola Gillen to fill the newly created role of head of total workplace.
Workplace wellbeing: the time is now
"It was so different only ten years ago…" was a recurring phrase in this year's Make a Difference World Summit. Ellie Davis reports.
IFMA & RICS working together on coworking event
The coworking concept is definitely 'in', while flex-space demand continues to reshape traditional property markets and the likes of WeWork continue to grab headlines.
One in five new workplaces fails to meet needs
A new report from workplace experience research group Leesman concludes that a fifth of workplace change projects are not meeting employee needs.
BuroHappold launches workplace optimisation tool
A new interactive dashboard providing real-time environmental data enables building occupiers to optimise the conditions in the workplace, the engineering group says.
Workplace strategy: choice and variety work best
Private offices, open plan, hotdesking: getting the work environment 'right' is as contentious as ever. Into the fray steps Savills with its new What Workers Want survey.
Westgrove teams up with retailTRUST on welfare
Westgrove Group, the Warrington-based FM company, has engaged with charity retailTRUST to support the welfare of its employees.
Millennials and the workplace
A survey of young leaders in corporate real estate, presented at last week’s CoreNet Global Summit in Amsterdam, concludes that workplace design and flexible working are top priorities.
CBRE launches first three Hana sites in London
Hana, the property advisor's flexible workspace venture, has unveiled plans for its first three UK sites.
CoreNet takes on the productivity challenge
Optimising the human experience in the workplace to achieve greater productivity and creativity will be the focus of next week's CoreNet Global Summit in Amsterdam.
BESA working on new healthy building standard
The plan is to develop a new British Standard designed to establish performance benchmarks for healthier buildings.
Leesman hits 600,000 milestone
The Leesman Index, the workplace experience benchmark, has reached a new peak, with more than 600,000 responses contributed to what is now the largest independent research project of its kind.
Flexible workspaces to increase by 56% by 2022
We're in the midst of a "coworking revolution" that will see the number of flexible workspaces continue to grow rapidly, say industry experts.
Flexible workspace drives Big Nine action
The Big Nine regional office markets saw a big uplift in flexible workspace activity during the second quarter of the year.
New BCO guide reflects new concerns
The British Council for Offices has published a revised Guide to Specification, which provides guidance on industry standards for workplaces across the country.
Flexible working tops RICS poll
Flexible working options are key in making construction a more attractive and progressive career choice for women. It's not hard to see that applying to all built environment professions.
Leesman teams up for wellbeing benchmark
The workplace assessment specialist is teaming up with WELL Building Standard founder Delos to investigate how real estate strategy can better support wellbeing at work.
Office design hindering productivity
That's the conclusion from research carried out for property consultants Savills, which also found that UK workers are happier with their office environments generally, with companies doing more to help employees' physical and mental health.
Savills launches into flex office market
The real estate services firm is the latest in this sector to unveil a new offer dedicated to helping landlords and owner occupiers to take advantage of the demand for flexible office space.
Savills extends offer with workplace consultancy buy
The property services group has announced the acquisition of London-based workplace consultancy and design studio KKS with the aim of extending its range of services.
Workplace: people want good design
Results from a recent YouGov survey highlight the importance of the work environment to office workers, with more than two-fifths believing design can encourage innovation and creativity.
Directors of fit-out firms disqualified
The Competition and Markets Authority has followed up its investigation of illegal cartel behaviour in the office fit-out sector with the disqualification of three company directors.
Sodexo names top FM trends to watch
The group's US business has singled out four themes that each cover a number of trends expected to shape facilities management in 2019.
BCO reveals London best workplace winners
Six London businesses celebrated success at the BCO Annual Regional Awards yesterday, with Facebook, 2TVC, Deloitte, Boden, Project North and Fora Borough all recognised as the capital's best workplaces.
UK productivity slump linked to the employee experience
Only half of UK employees consider their organisations to be effective at creating a positive work environment and only two-fifths consider their employer to be effective at creating meaningful work.
Join the club: British Land's new flexible space offer
The property investment group behind such developments as Broadgate in London, Plymouth's Drake Circus and Sheffield's Meadowhall has unveiled the Storey Club, a serviced flexible work environment.
People override cost in CRE strategy
Around two-thirds of occupiers rank employee engagement and talent attraction and development as being two of the three most important drivers of corporate real estate strategy, even ahead of cost reduction.
World Workplace Europe looks forward
'World Workplace Europe meets Facility for Future' was the theme for IFMA's European conference held last week in Amsterdam. David Emanuel reports.
Noise in the workplace: damaging wellbeing and productivity
In a survey of 1,000 UK office workers, 65% said noise impacts on their ability to complete work in an accurate and timely manner. Nearly half said that noise had a negative impact on their wellbeing, with over 40% reporting it caused them stress.
ISS partners with specialist on IoT applications
ISS and T-Systems, a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom, have signed a three-year strategic partnership focusing on internet of things solutions.
CMA busts fit-out cartel
Five office fit-out firms will pay fines totalling £7m after admitting to being involved in a cover bidding cartel.
Corporates to drive flexible workspace industry
Corporate occupiers are set to become the driving force within the flexible workspace industry as the way they view their office portfolios continues to change.
IWFM London conference programme confirmed
Tickets are now available for the annual London conference, which takes place on 14 March at the striking Freemasons' Hall.
Property professionals set to evolve into 'experience managers'?
In a broad study of the profession, CoreNet Global has identified the most influential trends in CRE through 2025 and beyond, which could include the disappearance of the CRE label itself.
Landsec launches flexible office brand
One of the UK's top property investors is wading into the marketplace to provide customised office space for businesses looking for flexibility to enable future growth.
Parliament to focus on mental health in the workplace
Debate is expected today around the concept of mental health first aid in the workplace. This could be the start of significant change.
C02 in offices "silently damaging productivity"
The results from the first ever practical study into UK indoor office environments reveal that worker performance declines when CO2 levels are high and temperatures are too warm or too cold.
Crown Worldwide in Premier move
Business services group Crown Worldwide has acquired Premier Workplace Services as the group underlines its commitment to the workspace sector.
MyTAG offers air quality monitoring solution
MyTAG, the property management innovation company, has launched AirQ, a new way to monitor air quality.
Poor quality offices costing £4bn a year
New research reveals that 1 in 5 UK workers has around two unproductive hours every week caused by poor or inadequate work environments, leading to a huge cost to the economy.
Coworking: is it a new workplace cult?
This particular new way of working has taken off fast, with implications for corporate occupiers, facilities management and the entire commercial property world. David Emanuel has been to Amsterdam for full immersion in the coworking movement.
Paradigm shift: another CRE firm weighs in on change
There are five themes that will shape future occupational demand across global real estate markets. Each will be highly influential but in combination they represent nothing short of a new occupational orthodoxy, Knight Frank says.
Coworking on the rise: more evidence
Should you be in any doubt that the coworking phenomenon is reshaping corporate real estate's thinking, a new survey has found professionals expecting to see the trend "dramatically increase" over the next five years.
IWFM: the transition begins
This week sees the start of the process of transformational change at the BIFM as it moves to become the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management.
The key to the productivity puzzle: leadership
Quality of leadership is the single most important factor to impact the level of productivity in an organisation according to a new international research study.
Is the conventional office lease dead?
A new white paper explores the fate of the traditional commercial property lease in the context of deep social, political and economic changes.
Understanding the flexible office space phenomenon
Europe's flexible office space sector has more than doubled in size since 2014 and is set to grow by up to 30% per year over the next five years. What's driving this?
ENGIE in Smart move
The acquisition of Smart Buildings Ltd will provide a step-change in ENGIE's smart buildings capabilities and significantly enhance the solutions it is able to offer to customers.
CBRE introduces Hana
The property services group has unveiled a new offering designed to help institutional property owners meet the rapidly growing demand for flexible office space solutions.
Charities: £10,000 of workplace design services for free
Workplace design consultants Burtt-Jones & Brewer are celebrating their 10th anniversary by offering one lucky charity thousands of pounds worth of their design time.
Live and let work
Business mogul Warren Buffett once said: "Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago." Lessons can take time to learn and we don’t always get things right, but our efforts can have a massive impact on the future.
RIBA, CIOB and RICS launch quality tracker tool
The Royal Institute of British Architects, Chartered Institute of Building and Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors have launched a new free-to-download tool to improve the quality of outcomes for construction projects.
Cushman & Wakefield buys into design & build
Recent years have seen the big property services groups moving rapidly in the direction of becoming 'full service' providers and managers of work environments.
Employee experience 'super-drivers' revealed
New research from workplace analyst Leesman reveals a series of mission-critical drivers that organisations need to deliver if they are to foster outstanding workplace experience.
Conference report: less world, more workplace
The International Facility Management Association's World Workplace event, which took place last week, brings together 4,000 facilities professionals from across the globe. Or rather that's what it's supposed to do. Cathy Hayward reports.
BCO names the UK's best workplaces
London's Bloomberg offices came out on top at the British Council for Offices' National Awards, taking home both the Best of the Best and the Corporate Workplace awards.
Sodexo unveils global partnership with Microsoft
The services group will benefit through access to cloud, internet of things and machine learning capabilities for new and enhanced digital services to clients, consumers and employees.
CBRE offers free online workplace planning tool
The property services group has announced the UK launch of Spacer, a free workplace planning product to help companies apply best-in-class workplace trends to their office layout.
Refurbished industrial buildings are the future of workplace
That's the conclusion of a new study carried out by the property services group JLL and architects Hawkins\Brown.
ISS signals workplace move
SIGNAL, the ISS group's strategic workplace management and design firm, is opening a new office in London to further strengthen partnerships with key account customers.
CBRE names top trends in FM
Increasingly people want to choose where and when they work and they look to the workplace, wherever that may be, to deliver much more in terms of services and amenities. This is reshaping FM, says the property services group.
Coworking heading for empty retail space
Property advisor JLL predicts that coworking ventures could become a significant occupier on many high streets.
ENGIE says Change Please at Grant Thornton
The FM manager has introduced the social enterprise Change Please to its Grant Thornton client sites.
All change as coworking sweeps into the property world
Not long ago it seemed like just a variation on flexible workspace, but all that has changed. The speed with which coworking has become both a corporate accommodation strategy and a major influencer in property markets around the globe is stunning.
Colliers: senior appointments focus on occupiers
The real estate services group has recruited Andrew Hallissey as its new executive managing director of EMEA occupier services, based in London.
Interserve report tackles need to optimise the workplace
Businesses need to radically re-envisage their workplaces to optimise team productivity and maximise the value of their physical working environments, the group says.
Sodexo names Wignall for digital workplace solutions
The services group has appointed Trevor Wignall as digital and innovation director within its corporate services business.
BSI offers wellbeing code of practice
The business standards company has launched a new code of practice for organisations to help tackle what it describes as a crisis in the mental health and wellbeing of Britain's workforce.
New president for BCO
Katrina Kostic Samen has been confirmed as the new president of the British Council for Offices.
Guide to responsible workplace fit-outs launched
A new online toolkit provides guidance for owners and occupiers on how to integrate sustainability and wellbeing into office fit-outs.
Technology: real-world applications
Changes, opportunities, impacts, implications: technology is a big subject these days in facilities management. But how much of the talk is real, in the sense of being about things that are relevant and workable for FM policy and practice?
Flexible workspace: growth sector
Flexibility seems to be the way of the future. It's become a standard theme in corporate strategies and reports, property industry analysis and planning, and of course on the ground in commercial property markets.
CBRE predicts "profound and far-reaching" change in CRE portfolios
Looking just over 20 years ahead, the real estate advisory group says the major focus for corporates will be flexibility, resting on fast decision-making in turn fed by new technologies.
Sodexo confirms Maximo to "create connected workplace experiences"
The services group has announced that it intends to harness the enhanced capabilities of IBM's Maximo technology to handle and transform its worldwide asset management function.
Landlords see opportunity in flexible work space
Nine out of ten UK landlords believe that flexible office space is on the brink of becoming mainstream, according to a new study from property advisors CBRE.
Ten-year study highlights shifting workplace trends
A new global report looks at the drivers and perceived benefits of alternative workplace programmes, uncovering the leadership and workplace strategy implications for organisations.
BCO publishes guidance on health and wellbeing
A new report from the British Council for Offices promises definitive guidance on supporting key people needs across an office building's lifecycle.
Anabas takes on hot-desking in second white paper
The corporate office FM specialist has published the second in a series of white papers exploring the evolution of agile working.
Technology in FM awards open for entries
Time to start planning: we are welcoming entries for the annual Technology in FM Awards. Final submissions are due in October and the winner will be announced next February at the Workplace Futures conference.
"Optimal office" productivity gains could unlock billions
Tackling the workplace productivity challenge has itself turned into a small industry. The latest analysis of the opportunity waiting to be released puts a prospective value of almost £40bn on office optimisation.
Greening the workplace: award winners
The biophilia movement got a significant boost last week as plants@work, the not-for-profit membership organisation for interior landscapers, announced the winners of the annual Leaf Awards.
London law firms leading the way on workplace change
Things move fast in the legal world, at least when it comes to how people work. A new report from CBRE finds a rapid take-up of agile working practices and artificial intelligence technologies.
Sodexo publishes latest workplace trends report
The group's 2018 report highlights the most critical factors affecting the future of work and demonstrates how an improved workplace experience is key to both increasing companies' performance and enhancing employee engagement.
Making the business case for green building benefits
The World Green Building Council has launched a new report highlighting the economic benefits of green building and showcasing improved occupant satisfaction when companies implement new health, wellbeing and productivity features in existing green sites.
BCO highlights London's best workplaces
Bloomberg, White Collar Factory, Havas UK, Here East and 10 Lower James Street have all been recognised as some of the best workplaces in the capital at the British Council for Offices regional awards.
Workplace Week New York plans confirmed
Following a successful six years in the UK, Workplace Week will arrive in New York this summer. The Advanced Workplace Associates fundraising event, supported by the IFMA Workplace Evolutionaries Group, takes place 18 – 22 June.
Occupiers less concerned about Brexit: CBRE
Occupiers are less concerned about Brexit than they were a year ago, according to a new CBRE research survey of over 100 major occupiers across Europe.
Flexible workspaces and smart technology to drive corporate real estate growth
A new report from property advisors JLL identifies 10 trends that are shaping corporate occupiers' decision-making in 2018.
Rolling out technology to make agile working work
Accountancy and business advisory firm BDO LLP has introduced new workplace technology to support its agile work environments in London and Reading.
Occupier expectations shifting as consumerisation takes hold
Nearly two-thirds of companies plan to increase their investment in real estate technology over the next three years, most of them in the next year, according to the 2018 EMEA Occupier Survey from CBRE.
CRE community to tackle uncertainty
One Big Day, a major event for the corporate real estate and associated sectors, attracts hundreds of professionals with a shared need for knowledge. This year, in response to a rapidly changing economy, the event takes on the issue of uncertainty.
Augmented reality: the key to understanding the workplace?
Space utilisation specialist Vantage Space is prototyping an augmented reality analysis platform for workplace utilisation and occupancy studies.
Government responds to Taylor Review with focus on 'good work'
The UK will become one of the first countries to address the challenges of the changing world of work in the modern economy, Whitehall has declared.
Adding value in a time of trouble
Simon Iatrou reports from Workplace Futures 2018, a conference that covered the good and the bad in facilities management.
Joint winners crowned in the i-FM Technology in FM Awards
In a clear demonstration of the quality of the entries, the judges for this year's awards were unable to pick one winner.
More to green buildings than energy savings
A Harvard University research team has concluded that green buildings can deliver billions of dollars in public health benefits, including fewer hospitalisations and reduced climate impacts.
Call for more health and wellbeing spaces in offices
Property investors seeking to future-proof office assets should consider providing space for gyms, nutritionists and medical consultation centres. Space for health and wellbeing has the most significant potential impact on employee performance, JLL says.
Ushering in a new era of workplace design
Neil Usher, the man behind Sky's multi-award winning work environments, has captured his views, experiences and advice in a soon to be published book. He's also speaking at next week's Workplace Futures conference.
Financial sector workplaces changing fast
Under growing pressure to compete, especially to recruit and retain good people, financial businesses are beginning to look more like tech businesses.
i-FM editor makes podcast debut
i-FM's Simon Iatrou can be heard on the latest episode of Workplace Matters, a regular podcast produced by workplace consultancy 3edges.
Corporate real estate: where to from here?
January is the traditional time to make predictions and resolutions for the year ahead and so it was that CoreNet's UK chapter took on the challenge. Cathy Hayward reports.
Productivity: change needs a plan and follow-through
A new report from Lancaster University's Work Foundation highlights what it calls "the complex and often strained relationship" between productivity, technology and work.
CBRE integrates workplace services in new offer
The real estate advisory group has unveiled CBRE 360, a global capability focused on delivering enhanced employee experiences in the workplace.
New Compass coffee brands target workplace consumer
The catering and support services company has launched two new coffee brands in an effort to recapture some of the market share that has been taken be high street coffee chains in recent years.
How can FM add value in the workplace?
Wherever you stand on the debate around how facilities management relates to workplace, one thing is true: how we work is evolving, opening the door to change in where we work. FM should be intimately involved in planning, programming and implementing.
WeWork set to become London's biggest tenant
There's confidence in a market, and then there's so much confidence that you are prepared to carve out a dominant position in that market.
Getting a feel for facilities management
Understanding how people feel and behave in work environments could be the key to better business outcomes; and building that knowledge within FM could be the key to greater impact.
Study on impact of offices on productivity and health launched
Two American universities are backing a global study that will examine how the indoor environments of 100 office buildings impact employee productivity and health.
Workplace Week to feature big-name site visits
HelloFresh, Macquarie, ZPG, Expedia and MOO are just some of the companies participating in Workplace Week 2017 to celebrate and showcase workplace innovation and creativity, with all proceeds donated to BBC Children in Need.
Cushman & Wakefield teams up for smart workplace initiative
Real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield has announced a new global agreement with smart building technology provider MCS Solutions, an Internet of Things specialist with experience in more than 60 countries.
BIFM plans workplace leadership programme
The British Institute of Facilities Management has entered into a partnership with 3edges to develop the programme, which will be delivered through the BIFM Academy from the first quarter of 2018.
Mental health in the workplace: Compass launches campaign
Compass Group UK & Ireland has marked World Mental Health Day by launching a campaign for its workforce, to raise awareness of mental health in the workplace and to provide colleagues with the support they need.
Flexible workspace market just gets bigger
The demand for flexible workspace seems to be growing fast. That's certainly the only conclusion to be drawn from watching what's happening on the provider side.
JLL launches search for new HQ
In what must be a novel experience, the property services group is looking for new offices to meet its own needs, as it plans to consolidate its existing West End, City and Canary Wharf operations into one location.
London dominates in BCO Awards
Six of the eight categories at the British Council for Offices' annual National Awards went to London buildings, with the new Sky Central scooping both Best Corporate Workplace and Best of the Best.
The why and how of flexible working
On-demand workspace has been in the mix for years, until recently a small part of the workplace landscape. But suddenly, flexible accommodation seems to be booming. Why? What's driving that and how far will it go?
Leesman singles out key workplace issues
Leesman, which holds the world's largest independent database on workplace effectiveness, has published a new report highlighting where things are going wrong for most people and what companies can do about that.
UKGBC turns focus on retail
The UK Green Building Council has launched its second Wellbeing Lab programme, this one focused on making the business case for retail spaces that support the health and wellbeing of employees and shoppers.
Keeping up with FM's soft side
It's become a big topic in the workplace community in recent months. The 'softer' issues, such as wellness, wellbeing, morale, productivity, feelings and experiences, have found their place on the agenda.
People just want to be trusted
UK workers rate feelings of trust and autonomy as increasingly important in keeping them productive and happy in the workplace, according to research from office design specialists Peldon Rose.
Skanska: test bed for new FM technology
The construction and services group has been trialling 'smart data' technology combining sensors, a mobile app and a web dashboard at its UK head office.
Why happiness matters
A management focus on happiness in the workplace sounds like one of those things sure to end in the opposite. But it turns out that happiness is really quite important to commercial success.
The robots are coming: should we worry?
There has been a lot of discussion in recent months about the increasing deployment of technology in the world of work. Automation seems an unstoppable trend, from data collection and analysis right up to, in the case of the FM sector, service delivery.
More proof: how people experience the workplace is critical
Human factors-oriented workplace research suddenly seems to be very much in vogue: many would say about time, too. The latest comes from design and engineering consultancy Atkins.
Business centres: serious alternative to traditional offices
Research published by the Business Centre Association in collaboration with CBRE shows that the business centre sector across the UK continued to thrive in 2015 and 2016 despite fears about the impact of Brexit and its effect on the economy.
CIC offers learning guide on inclusive design
'Bringing inclusive design into built environment education' is the new teaching and learning guide published by the built environment industry group.
Wellbeing: a new real estate fundamental
Offices that respect and support users' wellbeing offer occupiers, developers and landlords greater value. People count, according to a new report from real estate advisors Cushman & Wakefield.
FM gets serious about workplace technology
There's a change underway in how FM providers see their role in delivering workplace services. Three new partnerships with technology firms, reported here in recent weeks, are evidence of that.
Servest takes stake in ICT company
It's starting to look like a trend. Another top FM services provider is teaming up with a specialist technology company with an eye on the changing workplace.
Productivity: learning from the consumer world
Companies should aim to create a sense of 'brand loyalty' among their employees in the same way that consumer businesses do with their customers, according to a new study by Interserve.
Bouygues E&S teams up for the connected workplace
Bouygues Energies & Services has announced a new partnership that brings together global expertise in facilities management with context-aware computing and machine intelligence capabilities to deliver the workplace of the future.
BRE to test benefits of biophilic design
The building research group has launched The Biophilic Office project, a unique office refurbishment that aims to provide quantified evidence for the benefits of biophilic design on occupant health, wellbeing and productivity.
Battling the summer drain on motivation and productivity
Keeping employees engaged and motivated during the summer months can be a challenge. New research indicates that targeted action on the workplace and workplace culture could help.
Riding the wave of change
There's a sea-change underway in the corporate real estate world. Our CRE colleagues are increasingly realising, as FM has done, that the focus of services has to be at least as much people as buildings.
BSI launches D&I code of practice
At a time when issues around diversity and inclusion are rising up the agenda at many organisations, the business standards company has launched a new standard for employers providing guidance on good practice.
CBRE office named first WELL building in Spain
The real estate services group's Madrid office has been awarded Spain's first WELL Building Standard certification.
BIFM: new guidance on space planning and management
The British Institute of Facilities Management has published updated guidance to help in-house FM teams understand what is involved in managing and changing space.
Can real estate enable business transformation?
Property advisors JLL argue the answer is yes, as they back that up with a new report and an accompanying online tool focused on "how workplace experience can help businesses thrive in the new world of work".
Making property pay
For most UK businesses buildings are the second biggest expense after staff and present a huge cost-saving potential. And any savings from reduced running costs drop straight to the bottom line, so focusing here can pay off.
FM, workplace, productivity and all that
We may or may not be witnessing the transformation of FM into some form of workplace-branded discipline. We are undoubtedly witnessing the rise of productivity as a key FM concern, with all the challenges that brings.
Work futures: personality type to trump organisational culture
That's the conclusion from corporate office FM specialist Anabas, which has published the first in a series of white papers on agile working.
Productivity: in pursuit of the elusive
Improving productivity in the workplace has been a much-discussed challenge in recent times. Understanding what's involved is not simple, but a new project may be close to clarifying the question and identifying at least some of the answers.
Condeco partners with workplace design specialist
The specialist provider of workspace utilisation technologies has teamed up with HOK, a global design, architecture, engineering and planning firm, offering workplace occupancy and change management consultancy services.
Flexible working isn't always working
A new report from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development finds that many workers experience problems working away from the office. Better guidance on flexible working is needed, CIPD says.
ISS opens 'workplace of the future' in Germany
The group's new Dusseldorf headquarters has been designed as an activity-based workspace lab, where new ways of working will be tested before rolling out innovations to customers.
Coworking: is this the future?
Recent research carried out by corporate real estate group CoreNet Global and property advisors Cushman & Wakefield has found that property costs and lease lengths are key factors driving interest in shared workspace.
BIFM offers guidance on agile working transition
New guidance to help facilities managers manage their organisation's transition to agile working has been published by the British Institute of Facilities Management.
BCO launches health and wellbeing research
The British Council for Offices has commissioned a research team for a year-long study of health and wellbeing in offices, with the aim of producing definitive guidance.
The winds of change
You can almost feel it, the warm, dry wind pushing new technology applications through virtually every aspect of FM operations. In fact, you can feel it in the washroom as hand-dryers reach a new level of high-tech.
Carillion joins green Innovation Lab
Carillion has joined Canary Wharf Group, Land Securities and Marks & Spencer as a lead partner on the UK Green Building Council's Innovation Lab.
FM and the productivity challenge
Workplace productivity, and specifically how FM can contribute to enhancing the performance of both individuals and organisations, has become a key theme in the industry.
Making change work
Talking about new technology and what it might mean for work and the workplace is the easy part. Deciding what to change and how best to do it is the process that reveals the scale of the challenge.
Occupiers focus on making space work better
Corporate real estate priorities are increasingly focused on efficiency gains and enhancing workplace strategies in a quest to make space work 'smarter'. Greater use of technology is seen as key enabler of these objectives.
Up to a third of UK jobs could face automation
'The robots are coming' has been a semi-facetious angle on many of the discussions around technology and the future of FM. A new report from business advisors PwC puts some numbers on the broader trends.
CIC launches accessibility guide
The Construction Industry Council has published its Essential Principles Guide, designed to provide built environment professionals with information and advice on creating an accessible and inclusive environment.
IoD calls for more focus on mental health at work
The Institute of Directors is urging the government to work with employers to 'start a conversation' on mental health in the workplace.
Most companies unprepared for digital disruption
Despite the clear trend towards increasing use of technology shaping work and supporting disciplines like FM, just 13% of UK companies say they feel ready to create 'the organisation of the future'.
NICE standard for staff health and wellbeing
A new quality standard designed to help organisations improve their employees' mental and physical health and wellbeing has been published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
FM and the productivity challenge
Productivity has become something of a hot topic for FM, one of a handful of areas of opportunity where the industry collectively sees the prospect of making a significant contribution to economic and social success.
POE: power to the people
Post occupancy evaluation frequently seems to be one of those things that sounds better in concept that in practice, to both clients and contractors. Sounds good, they often say; maybe we'll try that next time.
Workplace quality becomes a weapon in war for talent
Recruiting and retaining top quality employees means that organisations will need to offer 'best in class' workplace experiences based on quality technology and services.
Time to get on-board with change
A new report from Sodexo highlights a series of major trends shaping workplaces in 2017 and calls on organisations to shape their business strategies and workplaces in response.
ISS acquires strategic workplace advisor
ISS is set to buy the Nordic workspace management and design consultancy SIGNAL in a move that will strengthen the group's focus on strategic workplace issues.
Workplace design failing knowledge workers
A new in-depth study has revealed the crucial factors affecting productivity, engagement and retention in one of the UK's biggest and fastest growing employment sectors.
Gen Z: who are they and what do they want
Over the past couple of years there has been much said and written about younger workers, how they might think and behave differently and what that means for organisations and the workplace. Much of that is probably rubbish.
Facilities Management 2017: programme details confirmed
A top line-up of industry specialists will debate and share knowledge with delegates at Facilities Management 2017 say the organisers of the event, which takes place at the NEC on 21-23 March.
Call to 'detoxify' work environments to improve wellbeing
'Toxic' workplaces are jeopardising employee wellbeing, leading to poor productivity, long-term sickness and ultimately impacting staff recruitment and retention, according to international engineering group AECOM.
Sodexo team wins major grant to study employee health
A four-year grant from the US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health will fund research on the connections between the workplace and health outcomes.
Home sweet office: design predictions for 2017
This year will see the wellbeing of employees remaining central in office design with a noticeable shift towards home-inspired interiors, according to design, fit-out and refurbishment specialist Morgan Lovell.
Interserve calls for 'workplace guardian' role
A new report concludes that businesses need to shift their focus away from functional issues, such as cost per square metre, and towards the productivity boost that can be delivered through well-designed work spaces.
UKGBC launches Innovation Lab
The UK Green Building Council has unveiled what it calls 'a radical new approach to innovation in the built environment'.
BRE to test biophilic design concepts on itself
The research and advisory group is to test the effects of biophilic design on office occupants by refurbishing one of its own buildings and monitoring the outcomes.
HSE unveils new health and work strategy
The Heath and Work campaign is launched at a time when stress and musculoskeletal disorders account for around 80% of all working time lost due to illness, according to the Health and Safety Executive.
Smarter use of space could deliver huge economic boost
Smarter use of Britain's office space could improve productivity by 1 to 3.5% and deliver a boost of up to £70bn to the economy.
Interserve debate underway: join in
The first debate in a planned series focuses on the importance of physical space in improving employee productivity. Opening arguments have been made and responses are invited.
All change in drive for smart working
Bouygues Energies & Services has moved. Not far; just a mile or so down the road. But the transformation in work environment has been total.
National Grid: 14forty's double award winner
To win one top FM award is impressive. Scooping a second with the same client is remarkable.
Interserve plans workplace debate
The construction and support services group is launching an online debate series aiming to spark conversation about how the workplace experience can improve employee productivity and engagement.
Office workers value sustainable work environments
A survey by office design, fit-out and refurbishment specialist Morgan Lovell has found that 73% of UK office workers believe that a sustainable workplace aids productivity.
Green offices: WGBC offers business case evidence
A new report from the World Green Building Council draws together lessons and insights from a series of projects worldwide that demonstrate the benefits of going green for owners, occupiers, developers and investors.
War for talent shaping CRE decisions
Property advisor CBRE argues that the commercial world is in the midst of a paradigm shift as real estate decisions are increasingly driven by recruitment and retention concerns.
What does coworking mean for corporate real estate?
The UK Chapter of CoreNet Global, in partnership with HOK's WorkPlace practice, has released a new report that studies the impact of coworking from a corporate real estate perspective.
JLL tackles technology impact on real estate
The property advisor has launched a new report series exploring the impact of technology, data and digital disruption on work spaces and real estate investment strategies.
More evidence that green buildings pay
Employees who work in certified green buildings have higher cognitive function scores, fewer sick building symptoms and higher sleep quality scores than those working in non-certified buildings.
University of East Anglia building takes top BCO award
The University of East Anglia's Enterprise Centre was named as the Best of the Best workplace at the British Council for Offices' annual National Awards in London Tuesday night.
LED lighting: is this the future?
Designers and manufacturers say yes. And quite a few FMs seem to think they might be right.
US owners see healthier buildings paying off
Building owners, developers, managers and investors in the US are increasingly interested in creating healthier buildings, according to new research, with many starting to see the business benefits of doing so.
Ho ho ho: working Christmas trees week is coming
It may be only September but next week sees the launch of the Christmas season for the interior landscaping industry.
Research: the factors shaping workplace perceptions
Smell, noise and temperature in the working environment are among the main factors that influence employees' experiences and in turn impact productivity and performance.
Breaking new ground in the City
Insurance may not be the first industry to spring to mind when the word 'innovation' is mentioned. But one major firm, Zurich, is partnering with Sodexo to pioneer some fresh ideas in how FM is done.
Poor air quality at work: top complaint
A new survey has found that indoor air pollution is prevalent in workplaces across Britain, potentially causing long-term health problems.
Integral LED scoops Which? badge of quality
The UK lighting brand is celebrating the accreditation of several new Which? Best Buys.
UK-GBC launches 'wellbeing lab'
The UK Green Building Council has unveiled plans to push forward a transformation in how working environments are thought about, designed and managed.
Gensler highlights have vs have-not problem
The international design firm has added to the fast-growing view that UK organisations need to rethink their attitudes toward the workplace, as it is those attitudes which are likely to be a key factor in low morale and poor productivity.
Leesman tackles CRE and employee satisfaction links
In what it describes as a world-first crowdsourcing initiative, the workplace benchmarking specialist plans to marry corporate real estate performance data with its 18m+ lines of user experience data.
Interserve unveils workplace research plans
The support services and construction group has launched a new research project to explore the science behind creating more effective workplaces.
ONS figures: set to raise fears on low productivity?
The latest Office for National Statistics Labour Productivity report is due for release on 8 July. April's figures showed productivity, as measured by output per hour, falling.
Kier launches Workplace Services
The new Kier Workplace Services business builds on the group's FM business and the acquisition of business services capabilities as part of last year's Mouchel buy.
Wearables in the workplace: the trust issue
The use of wearables in the workplace is being stalled by a lack of trust as people worry that their employer may use the data against them and not for their benefit, according to new PwC research.
Choice, space and getting the basics right
That's what office-based workers want, according to a new report from the British Council for Offices and surveyors Savills.
Robot wars: ready to share an office with a machine?
Robots have been such fertile territory for fiction writers for so long that it is near on impossible to think about them without conjuring up irrelevant, and usually negative, associations. But it's probably time for a re-think.
Stoddart Review aims to put workplace on the business agenda
A new study into the contribution of the workplace in business performance was launched last week at the BIFM's annual conference, ThinkFM.
A flexible workplace is not enough: Leesman
Research findings from Sweden suggest that employees working in activity-based settings are more productive but not as productive as they might be. It seems old habits die hard.
LED lighting: human factors count
A new report from Public Health England argues that the human reaction to light sources should be a primary factor in deciding to deploy LED lighting, not just efficiency or cost.
Condeco scoops Queen's Award
Workplace management company Condeco has won a prestigious Queen's Award for Enterprise, one of the select businesses recognised in the Innovation category for outstanding innovation and development.
Sheffield Hallam scoops top workplace award
Sheffield Hallam University is the first academic institution to win the Leesman+ award, marking exemplary high performing workplaces.
Catering to changing needs and expectations
These must be interesting times to be in the catering industry. Things are moving fast, both within the industry and around it. Some of this is entirely positive; some of it could be the proverbial game-changer.
Smart working guidance on offer
BSI, in conjunction with the Cabinet Office, has published PAS 3000 Smart Working, a new code of practice to support organisations in the implementation of smart working strategies.
'Wellbeing vacuum' putting people and business at risk
Despite increased awareness of the importance of actively supporting health and wellbeing in the workplace, there is a stubborn 'implementation gap' in the UK, according to a new report from the CIPD.
Getting engaged: JLL tackles workplace design issues
A new report from the property services group explores the role of the physical design of a workplace in expressing company culture and connecting employees to brand values.
Companies want better workplace data
The latest annual European Occupier Survey from real estate advisor CBRE suggests that large corporates are increasingly focused on the intertwining elements of performance, people and space.
Office design trends for 2016 revealed
Office design, refurbishment and fit-out specialist Area Sq has identified seven trends in workplace design and management which it believes will shape the decisions organisations make in these critical areas over the coming year.
CRE eyes up role in wellness initiatives
A new report from CoreNet Global declares that corporate real estate executives are in a unique position to demonstrate leadership and serve as a strategic resource, as a growing number of organisations focus on wellness and wellbeing issues.
Green buildings improve performance, study shows
New research has found that employees' cognitive performance scores averaged 100% higher in green building environments with enhanced ventilation compared to a conventional building environment.
FM innovation: putting technology to work
ISS has turned its Copenhagen headquarters into a testbed for the development of a system that uses strategically placed sensors to report on occupier activity in real-time enabling fast, targeted responses to service needs.
Real estate world turns attention to the workplace
A recent survey by CoreNet Global and Cushman & Wakefield has found that almost 9 in 10 of EMEA corporate real estate professionals are actively investing in workplace improvements.
BCO award winners revealed
Keynsham Civic Centre & One Stop Shop in Keynsham, near Bath, was named as the 'Best of the Best' workplace in the country at the British Council for Offices annual National Awards in London earlier this week.
A fresh take on office ergonomics
Adapt, the ergonomic workplace solutions company, has announced the launch of its offer in the UK and the opening of its new performance centre and showroom in London.
RICS to open and close Workplace Week
This year's week-long showcase of workplace innovation will be opened by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors with a Fringe event and closed with a case study tour.
Greening the work environment
There's a lot of evidence that plants in the workplace do much more than just look nice. Now designers and suppliers are finding new ways to use them, adding practical dimensions to the list of benefits.
Workplace Week adds visit opportunities
This year's Workplace Week, the week-long showcase of workplace innovation, will include more workplace visits than ever before.
Lighting upgrade cuts Canary Wharf costs
Canary Wharf Group has completed a major lighting upgrade across a number of its retail malls saving thousands of pounds and slashing its carbon footprint.
Coffee: life blood of the office
America runs on coffee, a major US coffee shop chain almost says. And workers round the world would largely agree with the sentiment.
Leesman Index reaches 100,000 milestone
The Leesman Index, the world's largest independent measure of workplace effectiveness, now has more than 100,000 respondents in its database.
RICS warns on quality of work environments
New research from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors points to widespread dissatisfaction with the workplace: almost half of the employees questioned by RICS want upgrades to the properties they work in.
Ineffective workplaces hampering productivity
UK companies are jeopardising their ability to compete in the global economy by failing to adapt their workplaces to meet modern demands.
FMs focused on improving employees' quality of life
Facilities managers are increasingly focused on improving quality of life in the workplace and are looking to integrated services to achieve their outsourcing needs, according to new research.
The workplace in 2040: Johnson Controls gazes ahead
By 2040 knowledge workers will decide where and how they want to work, according to a new report on the workplace of the future.
Workplace Week 2015: key names announced
Peter Cheese, CEO of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, and Mark Sherfield, COO at BDO LLP, are among the senior people speaking at this year's Workplace Week Convention.
Growth market: firms relying on workplace as recruitment tool
More than 90% of London professional service firms consider the workspace instrumental in achieving employee satisfaction, according to new research from property advisor CBRE.
Workplace Conversation finds subject
Following three months of online discussion, the creation of an online knowledge sharing community for workplace professionals has been selected as the winning idea in The Workplace Conversation.
Still time to join the Workplace Conversation
The online conversation, backed by the BIFM and the CIPD, is working its way towards a conclusion and now is a very good time to get involved.
City of London wakes up to new occupier needs
New research from the City of London Corporation and the City Property Association highlights the challenges and opportunities facing property developers in the Square Mile.
UK-GBC turns focus to retail property
The UK Green Building Council has launched a new project aiming to help measure the health, wellbeing and productivity benefits of sustainable retail property.
Good as new
Refurbishing existing space to produce the sort of work environment that might have been achieved in a 'green field' situation may not be easy or straightforward, but it can be done and may even be better.
BIFM and CIPD launch The Workplace Conversation
The BIFM and the CIPD have launched a collaborative project exploring the evolution of the work environment and what the future of the workplace looks like.
Sodexo report highlights power of the consumer voice
The growing influence of employees and consumers over organisations' behaviour is a central theme in Sodexo USA's 2015 Workplace Trends Report.
IFMA rounds up the science of the workplace
A new publication pulls together a broad range of research-based studies to offer guidance and insights on the design of work and the workplace with the aim of helping organisations to develop strategies that will produce the results they are looking for.
What's the point of design?
Anything to do with 'workplace design' often gets a bad rap in the hard-headed commercial world. If you're not Google or some bleeding-edge media company, do you really need to spend money on designers?
Workplace wellbeing rated top priority for companies
Companies are increasingly prioritising employee needs when making business and real estate decisions, according to the latest annual European Occupier Survey from property advisor CBRE.
Assessors sought for ethical workplace accreditation
Over the last five years UK property charity the Ethical Property Foundation has been working in partnership with the BIFM and others to develop the Fairplace Award. It needs volunteer assessors for 2015.
The workplace: what's design got to do with it?
Quite a lot, it seems, if by 'design' we mean getting it right for the people who will actually use the space. And that makes it an opportunity for FM.
The workplace: getting the priorities right
Presented with the need, or the opportunity, to make substantial change in an organisation's work environment, how does the FM ensure that the finished product will be genuinely fit for purpose?
.jpg)
Sitting comfortably?
If you are at all interested in the workplace and what furniture and fittings can do for comfort and efficiency, Orgatec is the place to be. It shines a light on new products, inevitably reflecting the trends shaping organisations and how they work.
Banks need to face up to change
And not just in terms of how they do business. A new report argues that financial institutions need to fundamentally change the size, shape and location of their property portfolios.
Employees unhappy with workplace hygiene standards
New research commissioned by PHS Group, the workplace services provider, has revealed that 48% of people are unhappy with the hygiene standard of their workplace.
The guest experience and FM excellence
Workplaces that provide a personalised approach to each guest but with a reflection of the local culture and geography are the most successful at creating the perfect guest experience and the best first impression of the organisation.
ISS proves the power of employee engagement
Research by ISS Facility Services, carried out in conjunction with a major NHS client, has found a direct link between strong employee engagement and performance improvement amongst staff.
Workplace design needs a joined-up approach
The reason why workplaces so often fail to perform their primary function, to allow users to work productively, is that the custodians of their design are prone to making the same habitual mistakes.
BIFM publishes accessibility standard
London Mayor Boris Johnson has welcomed a new standard for improving and maintaining accessibility and inclusion for disabled people in the built environment.
The future is agile working says CIPD
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development is calling on organisations to embrace agile working, in essence to protect their own futures as work becomes less central to people's lives.
CBRE debunks generational myths
Research covering more than 5500 US office workers across a range of industries has found that there is little difference in workplace preferences between millennials, Generation Xers and baby boomers.
Workplace Week: get involved
The annual celebration of innovative workplace ideas, combined with the opportunity to go inside and nose around a bit, has established its place on the calendars of both workplace specialists and FMs.
Workplace Week 2014: last chance to book
Places on tours of some of the UK's most innovative workplaces, organised as part of Workplace Week 2014 to help to raise money for the BBC's Children in Need charity, are filling up fast.
Organisations missing opportunity to boost employee wellbeing
New research concludes that organisations are struggling to meet employee needs when it comes to food and drink provision, a key part of workplace wellbeing.
Shed some light where you need it
What happens when occupier requirements change after building systems have been designed and installed? Of course they often do; so what we need are systems that can change, too, without huge cost penalties.
Big names to support Workplace Week 2014
Google, Mintel, Innocent Drinks, BDO, Edelman, Lloyds of London, Guardian Newspapers, CBI, Invesco, Prostate Cancer and PWC are all set to participate.
Go green: you'll be happier
New research has added more weight to the case for plants in the office: a workplace enriched with plants makes staff happier and boosts productivity by 15%, says the study.
10 ways to tackle the wellbeing challenge
Wellbeing in the workplace has been climbing up the corporate agenda in recent years; but can you take any significant action towards improvement objectives without a significant budget to go with it?
The rise of the portfolio workforce
The traditional nine to five office environment could soon become a thing of the past, according to a new report by PwC.
Rise of the 'business consumer' shaping the workplace
Looking at the business world from an IT point of view, market analysts Gartner have identified a trend with equal relevance to FM.
FM & the Workplace: who's in charge?
Facilities management often seems to have a kind of fuzzy relationship with the workplace. FM is responsible for the services provided, but does it have ownership of the work environment overall? Should it?
Plants at Work Week begins Monday
eFig, the European Federation of Interior Landscape Groups, argues there are at least seven well-documented reasons why FMs should back the case for plants in the workplace.
New Ways of Working
What does the evolution of the workplace look like, and which drivers are behind this increasingly ferocious change? Delegates at the most recent ISS Breakfast Seminar met up to discuss this and other issues. Caroline Bullock reports.
Digging deeper into the future of work
No doubt conversation within every business discipline turns from time to time to what the future holds. This is certainly a common theme in FM; and also one too often undermined by narrow horizons.
FM and the workplace: chapter 2
In May we polled the FM community about the workplace. How well does yours work for you? What's important? Who's in charge? Now we're back with a fresh angle on this.
Update: 'Beyond the Workplace' conversation underway
The bridge-building between BIFM and CIPD, and more generally between the various disciplines involved in providing and managing the places where people work, is reported to be moving ahead rapidly.
The integrated future is here
New research from Mitie suggests that 'integrated workplace services', bringing property, HR, FM and IT together, is not just a leading-edge concept; it is already happening at large corporates.
FM and the workplace: a strange relationship
In most organisations, the workplace is the heart of the business: the engine-room where plans are made, decisions get taken and people do things in pursuit of the corporate purpose. Where exactly does FM fit into this?
Deloitte kicks off agile working programme
Deloitte UK has launched a new approach to agile working to provide over 12,000 employees with the power to choose where, when and how they work.
Workplace change means catering change too
It's pretty obvious, really: with all the change that is coming to the workplace, there are associated impacts on the services that support the workforce. Catering is no exception.
FMs and the workplace: a complicated relationship
What exactly is FM's role in the workplace? Who owns it as a holistic experience, whether good or bad? What do FMs think of their own work environments? We want some answers.
Homeworking is where the savings are
Increasing the numbers of UK employees working from home could cut costs by £3bn a year for UK employers and employees and save over 3m tonnes of carbon, according to a new report from the Carbon Trust.
What do office workers really want?
Workplace furniture specialist Steelcase believes it has the answer following new research that surveyed the views of 800 workers from across the UK.
Why you need to be sitting comfortably
New research from Leeds Metropolitan University has confirmed a direct link from poorly equipped desks to musculoskeletal disorders, which can lead to longer term mental health problems.
BIFM to collaborate with CIPD
The British Institute of Facilities Management is to collaborate with the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development on a number of research and insight projects.
PiMS lands at Gatwick
PiMS Workspace, the space management advisor, has been appointed by Gatwick Airport Ltd to analyse and assess the efficiency of its office environments.
Well-being linked to bottom line: research
A research team at Steelcase, the work environment specialists, has compiled evidence of a direct correlation between employee well-being and business performance.
Temperature remains a big issue in the office
A survey suggests that around 2% of office hours are wasted due to temperature issues, potentially costing the UK economy £13bn annually.
BCO links energy efficiency with business performance
A new report from the British Council for Offices sets out to demonstrate the benefits of energy efficient offices and the positive impact they can have on employee productivity.
Plan now for 4G workforce, CIPD says
Predictions of problems and stress arising from a workforce that could span four generations have been over-stated, according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. But businesses should be planning now for this likely scenario.
Space and move management paper offered
FM software provider Service Works Group has published a guide that explores the business benefits of taking a strategic approach to space and move management.
Poor hygiene costing billions
New research has put the cost of poor hygiene in the workplace at nearly £14bn. UK plc could save that money simply by improving standards.
Searching for an answer in the office
Lingering in the background behind all facilities management roles is the workplace, and the Holy Grail there is the design that produces the optimum blend of comfort, efficiency and productivity.
Quality works for universities
Turns out university students not only notice the quality of buildings and facilities, they care too. Over a third have rejected a university based on the quality of the environment.
Making things work
Ergonomics is the science of designing things to meet human needs. Ignore it at your peril in the design and management of the workplace.
Rising generations: time for change
Deloitte has weighed into the 'what do they want' debate with the results of its third annual Millennial Survey, based on almost 8000 interviews with people born after 1983. A key part of the message for business is innovate or get out of the way.
Property focus shifts towards quality
Corporate decision-makers are responding to signs of economic improvement across Europe by shifting focus away from pure cost management to future growth opportunities, according to the latest annual European Occupier Survey from real estate advisor CBRE.
UK leads Europe on flexible working
A survey of HR professionals across Western Europe has found that UK organisations are significantly ahead when it comes to introducing flexible working for their employees.
Better design produces better A&E
Important lessons about the design and management of work environments, at least within a healthcare setting, have emerged from a recent Design Council-backed project.
Time has come for the 'connected organisation'
Each year Workplace Week showcases some of the best examples of contemporary workplace innovation. The highlight of this is a one-day convention where delegates come together to share ideas and discuss new ways of working.
Facilitating flexibility
Flexible working in the based-elsewhere sense may still find limited acceptance at some organisations, but that doesn't mean their people can’t benefit from greater comfort and efficiency through new approaches to resource utilisation.
More companies go for flexible working
A new study from YouGov and technology company Citrix has found that almost two-thirds of senior executives trust their employees to stay productive when they work away from the office.
Office furniture market set to grow
In what must be a positive indicator for the facilities management industry, the office furniture market is showing signs of a stable recovery as it moves into a third consecutive year of growth.
Sodexo highlights workplace trends
A new report from the services group rounds up a whole series of trends shaping the workplace of today and at least for the near-term future.
Climb your way to good health
A new initiative has been launched, backed by the Department of Health via the Small Business Research Initiative, with the aim of tackling obesity and strengthening the hearts of office workers and commuters.
Workers unhappy with open plan
Most people are dissatisfied with having to work in an open plan office, University of Sydney research has found.
London offices resist pressure to change
The latest Occupier Density Study from the British Council for Offices reveals that London and the Southeast have some of the most spacious workplaces in the UK.
Zurich team to research workplace change
The Zurich Insurance group is partnering with Cambridge University's Pembroke College on research that will initially focus on improving work environments.
Workplace programme confirmed
This year's Workplace Week Convention will come together under the theme 'driving productivity through the connected organisation', and once again for the benefit of Children in Need.
Revolution in the workplace
A shift is taking place in the way organisations view their employees' relationship with the workplace, as greater consideration is given to the design of space and the psychological impact it has.
World's changing faster than work, warns CIPD
A number of 'megatrends' over the last century have changed the world of work beyond recognition, according to a new report.
FM and the workplace
Facilities management and the work environment are both critical factors in individual and organisational success; yet the former often seems strangely disconnected from the latter.
Workplace Week 2013 launches
This year's Workplace Week, in Aid Of Children In Need, will run from the 4 to 8 November, showcasing workplace and workforce innovation and featuring unique visits and a one-day convention.
Agile Future Forum launched
A new initiative backing workforce agility as a key to competitive advantage for companies and for the UK economy has been unveiled.
HR professionals back flexible working
Flexible working is the best way to increase day-to-day productivity, according to new research conducted among HR professionals in the UK.
Global mobile working network launched
A new player in the flexible workspace area has unveiled what it says will be a worldwide network of pay-as-you-go office, meeting room and business lounge sites.
Utilisation studies: cracking the code
Workplace utilisation has become a big issue for many organisations as they look to make the most of their resources.
Big gains from small savings
Look after the pennies, our grans used to tell us; and it is still good advice.
West End workstation cost heads for £17,000
The UK's priciest location is London's West End, where the cost of providing a workstation in a new office development is now £16,915, according to the latest TOCS study.
New ways of working
Mobile technology isn't just changing how we work; it's changing our bodies too.
Seeing the benefits of flexible working
CEO Marissa Mayer's recent pronouncement on where and how Yahoo staff work has driven this often-controversial issue straight to the top of the agenda for many workplace theorists and commentators.
Brand aid
Slowly but surely high street brands are moving into the world of workplace catering.
Productivity gains outstrip facilities cuts
A new report argues that a holistic approach to the workplace, combining input from a range of disciplines aimed at improving employee productivity, can deliver greater gains to a business than cutting facilities costs.
CSR: more than lip service
The just-published annual Workplace Trends report from Sodexo's US division argues that almost 90% of Millennials entering the workforce now say they would consider leaving an employer whose values fell short of their expectations.
Shedding light on a workplace challenge
Ensuring there is adequate and appropriate light in the workplace, of whatever type, is a challenge on which FMs, engineers and even some designers often fall short.
Making art work in the workplace
New research has found a high level of backing for the value of art in the workplace and surprising consistency in judging the benefits.
Gartner names top technology trends
The technology research group has identified ten trends it believes will be strategic for most organisations in 2013.
Facing the SAD facts
We've nearly reached the season where most of us start and finish the working day in the dark, and that's bad news for a surprising number of people.
What's for lunch?
Whatever's on the menu, it looks like a healthy choice won't be the top concern for many of us. Taste, good value and convenience are all ranked as more important.
Landline days are numbered
Over half of UK CIOs expect the hard-wired telephone to disappear from everyday use within five years, according to research from Virgin Media Business.
Olympic impact on companies limited
Almost two-thirds of UK businesses report that the 2012 Games were less disruptive than expected. Nearly half saw no impact on their organisations.
Cloud changes outlook for design
Workplace designers are having to move fast to keep up with changes in technology and people's expectations of the places where they work.
Who specifies your office furniture?
Over two-thirds of architects and designers involved in workplace projects advise clients on the specification of office furniture, even if they have not been commissioned to do that.
Workplace Week team starts planning
This year's week-long showcase of workplace innovation will be taking place November 5th to 9th, once again all in support of Children in Need.
Norland extends critical environment offer
The hard services-led FM company reports that eight of its engineers have been awarded status as 'Accredited Tier Specialists' by the Uptime Institute.
Need to know
Reacting to David Emanuel's recent argument that FM needs to find and implement a 'game changer', Tim Oldman says it's all about having, and using, the right information.
Work environment top CRE issue
The quality of work environments and work experiences has come top in a recent survey of corporate real estate executives' current concerns.
Green buildings pay: US study
Research carried out by Notre Dame University has found that businesses operating in LEED-certified buildings generate increased revenue compared to the same businesses in 'normal' buildings.
Furniture companies dare to hope
New research looking at the UK office furniture market finds companies cautiously optimistic about trading conditions for 2012.
No going back
A lament for all that was good in the bustling pre-technology office of yesteryear has led FM consultant Tony Angel to make the case for the benefits of change.
LED retrofit for Brighton Trust
Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust has awarded a major contract for the supply of LED lighting replacements at Royal Sussex County Hospital.
BYOD: the next big thing
Bring your own device looks set to be a major trend for the future, raising challenges for FM, IT and HR.
Shedding light on energy costs
Lighting is a critical issue in the workplace, a key factor in comfort and productivity for individuals and in maintenance requirements and energy costs for organisations.
Latest i-FM in Brief out now
i-FM in Brief, our regular newsletter designed to bring readers a round-up of recent news, features and market insights, is available on the site now.
Death of the classic American cubicle?
There are plenty of uniquely American landscapes. Now one of them, the corporate workplace neatly divided into row after row of identical cubicles, may be on the brink of extinction.
Flexibility named key job benefit
New research from Vodafone concludes that UK companies are sharpening their focus on softer workplace benefits, including flexible working, to attract and keep the best talent.
Light work: an easy win for FM
It could just be that lighting policy, everything from products specified to what gets turned on and off when, could be amongst the easiest wins for FMs looking to make progress on cost and sustainability objectives.
Scots happiest with their workplace
According to a survey commissioned by EMCOR, Scottish workers are more likely to be happy with their work environment than any other group in the UK.
Flexibility and wellness drive employee engagement
Sodexo's US business is arguing that employers need to start thinking beyond business and the traditional office setting to get the best from their employees.
Network Rail aims to get agile
The rail infrastructure operator has appointed Capita Symonds to develop and implement phase 2 of an agile working programme across the company's vast property portfolio.
2012: all about maximising resources
Research by workplace management technology company PeopleCube points towards maximising the efficient use of real estate, resources and energy as the critical business focus over the next 12 months.
FDs in the dark on workplace opportunity?
Finance Directors must start listening to their facilities managers or they will continue missing out on a valuable opportunity to streamline occupancy costs, according to a new research paper.
Recession breeds presenteeism
Over 40% of office-based employees say they feel pressure to be visible in the office as a result of the economic climate. But that could be undermining their employers' ability to compete.
Compass partners with Nuffield Health
Compass Group UK & Ireland is set to launch a partnership with the health services provider focused on 'an end-to-end wellness solution for the workplace'.
Flexible working is over-rated, BCO says
Survey data released by the British Council for Offices shows that more than three-quarters of employees do not work from home at all, dispelling the myth that the office is a thing of the past, the BCO argues.
Google designer lands top award
Workplace consultants Peldon Rose have scooped top place in two categories at the UK International Property Awards, held late last week.
Defining what goes on in the workplace
In the second in a series of reports from the companies shortlisted for this year's i-FM e-business award the focus is a unique system for gathering workplace information.
AWA sweetens Workplace Week offer
Advanced Workplace Associates, the firm behind the Children in Need initiative Workplace Week, is offering free consultancy services in exchange for donations to the cause.
Network Rail on track for agile working
The rail infrastructure group has appointed Capita Symonds for the development and implementation of an agile working programme across its UK property portfolio.
Scottish workers unhappy with offices
Less than half of office workers believe their working environment is good enough.
Staying away from the office reduces absenteeism
Organisations looking to revolutionise the workplace, reduce absenteeism and slash the overhead of office space should start with the small steps of helping employees to work at home.
Strong backing for flexible working
A new survey questioning the public and MPs has found the majority in both cases backing government action in support of more flexible working.
De-stressing the workplace
Space utilisation driven by real needs, creative design, natural light, a bit of fresh air: that could just be the answer to every office worker's prayers.
9/11 changed US workplaces permanently
Research released by CoreNet Global, the corporate real estate professionals group, shows that the unprecedented events of September 11 2001 had a permanent effect on workplaces in the US.
Getting more from your floorspace
With the pressure on for all corporate resources to deliver best value, optimal space utilisation should be on every FM's agenda.
Thinking outside the box
Or more precisely, inside the box in a different way. If you need more, or different, space maybe the answer is to build it within the existing structure.
Reinventing the workplace
A new report from the think-tank Demos argues that flexible working, used in one form or another by 60% of the UK workforce, has become critical to future prosperity.
Furniture market looks good in the short term
The UK office furniture market is set to enjoy an increase in sales revenue to the end of 2011 and into 2012, according to the latest Office Furniture Market Report from JSA Consultancy Services.
How much do you know about your workplace?
FM's responsibility for keeping things operational is clear; but how involved do facilities managers get in analysing, planning and monitoring the work environment?
Green buildings link to productivity
A workplace with good air quality, comfortable temperature, natural light and other features associated with green buildings is likely to result in a more productive workforce, according to research conducted by property advisors Jones Lang LaSalle.
Offices on the road to extinction?
More than half of the respondents to a Virgin Media Business poll see no future for the office as mobile technology changes the way people work.
Workers worry about building services
A survey of more than a 1100 office-based staff has found surprisingly high numbers blaming failing services for a reduced sense of well-being and sub-optimal productivity.
Office costs under pressure, holding stable
Details from the latest Total Office Cost Survey are a reminder of two facts: providing a workstation is an expensive business, but the cost varies greatly by location.
Putting a value on flexibility
Flexible workspace provider Regus and Unwired, a specialist in the future of work, have teamed up to argue that agility has become a critical factor for organisations, one which can and should be measured in monetary terms.
Sound move for interiors group
The Association of Interior Specialists, the trade association for the fit-out industry, is set to publish a new guide to office acoustics.
JCI and RCA target sustainable workplace
Johnson Controls and the Royal College of Art are to team up in a study looking at how sustainable work environments are perceived and how they can be created.
GGF polishes up its act
The Glass & Glazing Federation's London HQ is a showcase for products and the extensive use of the material inside and out brings with it a responsibility to ensure full compliance with the law.
Making flexible working work
However you define it, the flexible workplace is here to stay.
HR survey warns on workplace issues
The findings reveal that employers are facing a sustained increase in workplace unrest as austerity measures, longer working hours, stress and a skills gap take their toll on the UK workforce.
Staff feel the pressure to deliver
Cutting visits to the gym, taking shorter lunch breaks and working harder to cover staff shortages are some of the ways that office workers are responding to pressures at work, according to a survey from serviced office provider Business Environment.
Wasted space means wasted money
Poor management of space means that many companies are paying as much as 50% more for property than they really need to, according to workplace consultants.
Paperless office? Not likely
Surely of all corporate staff, IT professionals would be most likely to move beyond dependence on hard-copy documents. Not so, according to new research.
UK organisations to increase density and decrease space
More than half of the organisations taking part in a BIFM survey are actively trying to reduce the office space they occupy by increasing the density of the occupiers.
Finding a place to work
Desk sharing has been around for years as a strategy for making the best use of workspace and it is widely used. But despite all the experience, implementation still often falls short of the ideal.
Brand new role
Brand, and how that is expressed and managed, have become major considerations for many organisations. Many have seen the issues pushed up the agenda, somewhat unexpectedly, by recession.
BIFM backs workplace survey
The British Institute of Facilities Management has launched what it calls one of the largest ever reviews of the state of Britain's workplaces.
Coffee to go
Coffee Nation, the UK’s leading provider of gourmet coffee on the go, has launched a unique concept: the mobile 'barista bus' drinks unit offers self-serve gourmet coffee from anywhere.
Fit-out rating system takes off
In the nine months since its launch, Ska Rating, the method of assessing the sustainability of the fit-out or refurbishment of a building, has been used on over 2.5 million sq ft of space.
Caffeine: the key to a happy workforce
Companies looking for cost cutting opportunities should avoid the coffee and tea budget. New research shows that the provision of good quality hot drinks is crucial in keeping staff happy.
Commons eyes up new ways of working
With efficiency initiatives swirling around Whitehall like leaves in an autumn wind, the message is beginning to hit home at Parliament. Space planning experts are to be appointed at the House of Commons.
Making accommodation work
Space: your second biggest expense. And sometimes so obvious that it is overlooked as a potential route to big savings and greater efficiency.
No let-up in workplace change
In the space of a generation, work and the workplace have changed beyond recognition. And the pace will only accelerate.
Flexible working key to government savings
Public sector spending on property could be reduced by up to a fifth and prime city-centre property could move from public to private sector use if government adopted more flexible working practices.
Wishful thinking as CIBSE renews heatwave advice
In the belief that summer has not already come and gone, the building services group has issued new advice on coping with seasonal hot weather.
Plants are good for you
If you are looking for places to cut the budget, spare the landscaping. Plants in the workplace reduce negative feelings such as stress, anxiety, depression, anger, fatigue and confusion by as much as 60%.
Employees rate work-life balance over bonus
Flexible working is the most valued benefit for employees, ahead of perks such as bonuses, according to a new PricewaterhouseCoopers survey. The findings come as the new government has promised to extend the right to request flexible working to all.
Grey power to rule the future
Forget Generation Y. Britain's older workers look set to be a more important force in the future workplace, if for no other reason than sheer numbers.
Businesses set to throw away millions on unnecessary fit-outs
A new study by construction and property consultants Robinson Low Francis has calculated that businesses in central London will squander millions of pounds a year and waste considerable resources and materials refitting newly leased offices.
The cost of cutting corners in the workplace
The evidence is near enough overwhelming: organisations are better and workforces happier when sources of workplace stress are identified and minimised, people are engaged with their work, and opportunities for better work-life balance are created.
Guardian named best corporate workspace
The Guardian's new HQ in King's Cross has taken top honours in this year's BCO regional awards for London and the Southeast. The same site won top honours in last year's national competition.
Home away from home for Gen Y
New global research from Johnson Controls shows that a majority of Generation Y prioritise the working environment when looking for employment, seeing it as an extension of their home life.
White House tackles workplace flexibility
'Yes we can' appears increasingly to be the favoured attitude towards workplace change in the US capital.
Eye for the future
Six years after joining the BBC in what might have looked at the time like a fairly conventional corporate real estate role, Chris Kane is halfway through what he describes as 'the most amazing journey'.
Spare space: can you make it pay?
Every crisis leads at least one commentator to declare 'things will never be the same'. Whether that's true after this recession is debatable; but certainly there is an opportunity to learn some lessons.
Academics discover the client is really quite important
An 18-month joint investigation into the planning and design of academic space has produced a series of conclusions that are blatantly obvious to anyone with relevant experience in the commercial sector.
RICS launches fit-out rating system
A new system to rate the environmental impact of office fit-outs has been given its formal launch by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
NJW and CMA launch new joint service
FM technology provider NJW has unveiled a formal alliance with workspace consultancy Cochrane McGregor & Associates to address the rapidly changing needs for design and management services in work environments.
Back from the dead: flexible working group lives again
Nomad, the mobile and flexible working support group for public authorities and agencies, has been saved from extinction.
New flexible working guidance from EHRC
The Equality and Human Rights Commission has launched new flexible working guidance for employers.
BCO unveils award winners
Kings Place, the newly developed HQ for The Guardian newspaper in London's King's Cross area, has been named 'Best of the Best' in the 2009 British Council for Offices Awards.
Personalised space is productive space
A four-year research project backed by the University of Exeter has found that workplace productivity and morale can be significantly improved by giving employees the freedom to develop the look and feel of the office environment.
Flexible working advocate folds up its tent
Project Nomad, which has spent the past six years advocating flexible working programmes to central and local government departments, has revealed that it will close down in November due to funding problems.
Programme for WorkTech09 confirmed
The final programme for this year's WorkTech, the annual event that brings together issues and trends in property, design and technology, has been published.
Flexible working companies out-perform traditional rivals
A study carried out by the US division of serviced office provider Regus has found that businesses that have adopted flexible working policies deliver more value than those that have not.
Carillion teams up with AWA to make change easier
Carillion Workplace Solutions has formed a partnership with transition specialists Advanced Workplace Associates targeting the need of large organisations to drive down costs and improve workplace performance.
How serious are you about staff retention?
People are our most important asset. Raise your hand if you have ever said that or something quite similar. But what are you actually doing about putting the words into practice?
DEGW and Davis Langdon to merge
In what looks like a takeover but is being called a merger, workplace design and consultancy firm DEGW is set to join cost adviser Davis Langdon.
Anabas lands turnkey HQ project
Facilities management specialist Anabas has won a multi-million pound deal to provide a turnkey solution for new corporate offices for pharmaceutical company Norgine.
Energy savings at odds with employee comfort
New research from the International Facility Management Association confirms that office temperature is the most common subject of complaints to FMs, and its getting worse as companies try to cut energy consumption.
How far can workplace change go?
Is the office set to be a thing of the past, a quaint old notion left behind over the next decade or so? Business, technology, property and work preference trends all suggest that might be the case.
Flexible working can boost productivity
A new report reveals that flexible workers are happier (67%) and over half (51%) feel they are more productive, while almost as many (46%) think that they work harder during the time they work
Turn on, tune in, drop out Ð it's the future of work
In 20 years' time organisations will look and behave like social networks, creating corporate communities that attract employees from a global talent pool who do their jobs and then move on.
Space and temperature reveal recession's impact on offices
In workplaces across North America, space per person is increasing as headcount is cut and thermostats are being adjusted to reduce energy consumption. Both trends show the impact of sustained economic pressure.
Occupation density increases as businesses seize efficiency opportunities
Average workplace density has increased 40% since 1997, with the typical net area per person shrinking from 16.6 sqm to today's 11.8 sqm.
Flexible workers do it to save money
Over half of employees are working from home more often since the financial crisis began, and most of them are doing it to save money according to new research from BT.
Do something different: it's Work Wise Week
Today marks the start of Work Wise Week 2009 - Tuesday, an unconventional first day of the week to remind you to try working in some unconventional way, according to the organisers.
Pressures combine to boost flexible working
Flexible working, in a range of forms, looks to be an established management strategy as organisations find ways to cope with growing pressures to reduce costs, minimise environmental impact and improve employees' work/life balance.
Credit crunch driving workplace change
Under mounting pressure to control costs, more and more businesses are turning to alternative workplace strategies as one solution.
Stressed out: who's to blame?
Stress is a serious Ð and growing Ð problem with consequences for morale, productivity and health. But could we be causing some of that problem simply by the way we plan and manage our offices?
Help for charities from workspace advisers
Office interiors specialist Constructive Workspace and business services firm BDO Stoy Hayward have joined forces to stage a best practice forum for charitable organisations.
Credit crunch impacts on the workplace
Does office culture drive workplace design Ð or is it the other way round?
Time for some fresh thinking on an old issue
Amazing as it seems, the landmark Health & Safety at Work Act is 35 years old this year. It's good Ð but is it good enough for today's ways of working?
Academics take on the thorny subject of their own offices
There may not be company cars, expense accounts or annual bonuses in higher education, but there are offices Ð and what you get is every bit as much of an indicator of status as anything in the private sector, if not more so.
Workplace resources under growing scrutiny
Cost saving is the name of the game these days. That will see more and more organisations looking hard at space and how they use it, leading to a fast-growing demand for better data.
Open plan scepticism dismissed as 'thing of the past'
Workplace planning and design experts DEGW have dismissed an academic study which concluded that the downside of open plan environments far outweighs the upside. The debate Ð and the information used in this case Ð is a relic of the past, DEGW says.
Open plan offices make us ill, study finds
This story must be as old as the open plan concept itself Ð but new research from Australia concludes that these environments take a 'shocking' toll on their occupants.
The age of spaceless growth has arrived
Maybe this is the silver lining. It looks like the state of the economy could be the spur that drives forward real change in how businesses use their floorspace.
Credit crunch and energy prices will shape work 'forever'
New research from Johnson Controls shows that the world's leading businesses expect changing economic conditions to bring fundamental transformation to how people work.
Economy makes bosses consider smarter working
The current economic turmoil is expected to make more employers look at the benefits of smarter working for their staff, according to workplace change campaign Work Wise.
Annual flexible working survey opens
Johnson Controls has launched the latest version of its online survey into flexible working experiences. Anyone who works flexibly is invited to participate.
Flooring companies launch safety group
Six leading suppliers of flooring materials have joined forces to form the Flooring Manufacturers Safety Group.
Employers embrace teleworking
The number of people teleworking is up significantly over the past few years according to a new survey by the CBI and Pertemps.
BT offers advice on flexible working
BT Business has published a new guide to help businesses tackle the problems encountered by some of the UK's 14 million mobile workers.
Office space waste
UK companies are on average utilising just 55% of their office space - and two-thirds of the employees who work there are unhappy with their current work environments.
Generation Y: what do they want from us?
The coming new generation in the workplace expects a professional welcome into a flexible culture that is green to its core.
Morgan Lovell claims first with green refurb
Office fit-out specialist Morgan Lovell has achieved an 'excellent' BREEAM rating with the refurbishment of its 1960s-built headquarters - the first top rating for such a project.
The office as demotivator
Research from law firm Eversheds has found a direct correlation between the office environment and motivation levels, with more than half of the 1000 respondents reporting that their workplace has a negative impact on their productivity.
Are you ready for tomorrow's workplace?
Much of today's workspace design and planning is totally unsuited to current needs, argues futures guru Philip Ross. From where you're sitting, is he right?
Stay at home Thursday: it's National Work from Home Day
Thursday May 15th marks the start of Work Wise Week 2008. The period to Wednesday the 21st will see a concentration on a whole range of alternative working ideas, with the ultimate aim of promoting smarter working practices.
Flexibility = productivity?
There's plenty of evidence around that new ways of working can have a positive impact on employee performance and corporate productivity. But is there more to it than simply creating the right office environment?
Office environment key to staff motivation
A pleasant working environment is the key to getting the most out of employees, according to a survey of London office staff.
New graduates shun face-to-face communication at work
That's according to new research by electronics retailer Plantronics.
Real-time focus on consumption to cut carbon
An energy-efficient building solutions provider has teamed up with an on-demand workplace management technology specialist to develop a system to monitor and reduce energy consumption based on efficient scheduling and utilisation of resources.
Johnson and Haworth to study Gen Y
Johnson Controls is to partner with furniture solutions provider Haworth for a global survey of the 18-25 year-olds in Generation Y, aiming to develop an understanding of their preferences for the future workplace.
Johnson Controls launches innovation network
Johnson Controls Global WorkPlace Solutions has launched a new global network to develop and share the latest innovations by working in collaboration with leading centres of property and facilities management research around the world.
Office of the future: more change, more challenge
By 2030 the workplace will offer plenty of social interaction space, as well as greater equality and choice of when, where and how to work. But employees will be balancing increasing time constraints and businesses could be facing some tough conditions.
Fit-out contractor champions art
George Morris, chairman of fit-out specialist Morris & Spottiswood, is convinced art has a big role to play in our working lives.
9 - 5 is dead: let it go
The traditional working stiff, chained to a desk for eight hours a day, is rapidly becoming a dinosaur. Huge numbers of people work flexibly in one way or another. When will designers and property people catch up to the facts?
CO2 blamed for poor workplace performance, too
Not only is a surfeit of carbon dioxide damaging our natural environment; it may be adversely affecting staff productivity, as well.
BCO publishes POE guide
The British Council for Offices has launched a new Guide on Post-Occupancy Evaluation, the fourth in its series of best practice guides.
New slant on the office treadmill
When we first covered this story last spring, we thought it was a bit of a joke; good basis in science, but not really ever going to see the light of day in the office.
BCO winners highlight low-energy future
Entries for this year's British Council for Offices Awards frequently had one thing in common: a demonstrable commitment to low energy consumption
Flexible working begins to change organisations
Flexible working is increasingly becoming the norm, as today's professionals are demanding a new deal from their employers, seeking more control over how and where they work.
Steelcase offers recyclable furniture
Steelcase, one of the biggest names in the office furniture industry, has unveiled its new sustainable workstation - a product that is virtually 100% recyclable.
WorkTech unveils autumn plan
The fourth annual WorkTech conference, the event that looks at the implications of convergence between the worlds of technology, real estate and the workplace, is set to return to the British Library in London on 13 November.
You are where you sit
People generally feel better, and probably work better, in a good quality office environment than they do in a poor one. We all know that. So, why do so many organisations settle for adequate environments rather than strive for excellence?
Stand and deliver: how to get fit at work
Ever felt like you were stuck on the office treadmill? Boffins at the world-renowned Mayo Clinic say that's a good thing - as long as it's their treadmill.
Stay home on Friday
Did you know that Friday is National Work from Home Day? If not, then you could well be kicking yourself for not seizing the opportunity to skip the daily commute.
What role for FM in flexible working?
Has your organisation put in place new working practices? Did FM play a role? If so, what; and if not, why not?
KPMG & Faber Maunsell make best workplace list
Professional services company KPMG and building consultant Faber Maunsell have both made it into the Great Place to Work Institute's 'UK's 50 Best Workplaces' list for 2007.
WorkTech moves north
Unwired, organisers of the annual WorkTech conference focusing on convergence in the worlds of technology, real estate and work, are to launch a 'north' version.
New report finds offices getting smaller
New research from the International Facility Management Association shows that average workspace is shrinking.
EU to investigate indoor air quality
The European Commission has launched a consultation process looking at indoor air quality.
The man from the Pru finds flexible working works
Given the opportunity presented by relocation, what strategy will work best to improve the typical 40% utilisation rate of office space?
More new content on i-FM
A new feature on i-FM today argues that bringing clarity to visitor environments is critical to their success. Elsewhere, sustainability expert Sunil Shah introduces the concept of 'cradle to cradle' thinking in the design and specification of products.
Key workplace events at a discount for i-FM readers
Unwired, the driving force behind the highly successful annual WorkTech conference and exhibition, has planned a series of events over the next two months that will appeal to FMs.
BCO opens entries for 2007 awards
The British Council for Offices is calling for entries for its annual award scheme, now in its 15th year.
Germans enjoy biggest offices in Europe
According to research from property specialists Cushman & Wakefield German businesses allocate more than twice as much office space to their staff than the European average.
Work in the 21st C: different in parts
At last November's WorkTech event, organisers Unwired and their partner Samsung surveyed 250 board-level delegates from the worlds of IT, real estate, facilities and general management on their experience and views of the future.
Christmas gets green light in US
Political correctness is a high art in the US, but that won't stop Christmas being celebrated in the majority of workplaces.
TfL puts its money on flexible working
Transport for London has forged a partnership with the Work Wise campaign, putting up £150,000 help encourage employers to offer their staff more flexibility in where and when they work.
Barriers to flexible working remain in place
Almost two-thirds of UK employees want to work flexibly, but many are worried that it will sideline their career.
Move to open plan - and stay there
Do people in open plan offices work longer hours? New research has uncovered a strong correlation between the growth in the number of open plan offices and the lengthening of working hours.
Smallest room is big issue for staff
Well-kept toilet facilities are evidence that an employer cares about its employees - that the view held by the vast majority of the UK's working population.
What's next? Family-friendly offices
There has never been more pressure on organisations to provide staff with working conditions, management strategies and contracts that allow for better work-life integration.
Flexibility the key to future competitiveness
Businesses must prioritise flexibility of work time and location to control organisational change over the next 10 years in light of evolving social, economic, political and organisational pressures.
BIFM plans new workplace SIG
A new special interest group is to be launched by the BIFM to bring together those with an interest in the design, management and functioning of the workplace.
Get them to zip it...with art
Support Services company OCS has launched a new range of office art designed to silence noisy colleagues.
Too busy to deliver better buildings?
Everyone seems to suffer to some extent from 'hurry sickness' these days. But the work anywhere/anytime, everywhere/all the time philosophy is likely to undermine effectiveness.
HR ignoring workspace issues
Too few businesses are taking into consideration employee and organisational factors when making decisions about their office space, according to new research.
Going green: cheaper than you think
Simple steps add up - whether it's buying environmentally friendly office products, recycling old furniture or switching to electronic document storage.
Context adds CPD seminars
Context, the interiors exhibition due in October, has added a series of CPD-accredited seminars to its programme.
What future for the workplace?
Every business would like to be able to predict future workplace needs. But the history of attempts to identify the 'next big thing' is littered with failure.
WorkTech 06 speakers confirmed
The programme for the third annual WorkTech conference and exhibition has been announced. The focus remains on the implications of convergence between the worlds of technology, real estate, work and the workplace.
Context event targets live fit-out projects
CMPi, organiser of the office interiors and fit-out event Context, is to focus its visitor recruitment campaign on the multi-million pound relocation and fit-out market.
Occupiers cut costs by cutting space
Companies in the South East are squeezing more people into less space as more flexible workstyles open the door to greater cost efficiencies.
US missing out on homeworking potential
Less than half of US employees who could work from home actually choose to do so, preferring to be in the office rather than out of it.
Three days off when ac fails
As many as 500 staff at the HM Revenue and Customs offices in Cardiff had three days off work this week following a break-down of air conditioning systems.
Heatwave warning: what should employers be doing?
As temperatures soar, the Department of Health has taken the unusual step of issuing a heatwave warning after it was that predicted temperatures are going to continue rising.
Temperature up, productivity down?
A survey of 1500 office-based staff, carried out by a leading recruitment agency, has found the predictable - when temperatures go up, productivity can drop by as much as a quarter.
More flexibility needed to support mobile workers
New research from Johnson Controls Facilities Innovation Programme reveals that companies are failing to support flexible workers, leaving many feeling isolated and overlooked. With new ways of working being taken up, employers are failing to keep up.
Support services firms rate in CSR index
Business in the Community's fourth Companies that Count Index has seen a select batch of UK support services firms make it into the top 100.
You should be working from home today
Workwise UK has designated Friday 5 May 'national work from home day' in a bid to encourage organisations to try out homeworking.
Most staff want more say in workplace design
Almost 90% of employees questioned in a recent survey said they believe they should be more involved in the design and layout of their workplace.
Business pays the price for depressing offices
British companies are losing thousands of pounds each year through staff churn and reduced profitability as a result of poor office design, according to new research from specialist fit-out contractor Wates Interiors.
AWA launches 'workplace TV' following conference success
Management consultants Advanced Workplace Associates, fresh from success with the Shaping Tomorrow's Workplace conference, held jointly with the British Council for Offices, is bringing elements of the proceedings to a new audience through its website.
Size does matter in the office
If you want to check how far you've climbed the career ladder don't compare your salary with colleagues; take a look at where you're sitting instead. Size, even in open plan offices, is a reliable indicator says new survey.
Flexible working works, says Newcastle
A six-month trial of flexible working at Newcastle City Council has seen productivity levels rise and sickness absence fall.
Organisations combine to launch 'better offices' report
Better Places to Work, a new report from three leading property industry bodies, demonstrates that badly located and poorly designed places of work are not only bad for employees and the wider environment; they are also bad for business.
BCO to develop post occupancy evaluation guide
The British Council for Offices has appointed architects Swanke Hayden Connell to develop a guide to post occupancy evaluation for office fit-out projects. It will be researched by SHC's Workplace Consulting Group and published in the autumn.
India's largest private sector group gets £1m HQ
TATA Consultancy Services has a new HQ in London, following a 12-week fit-out by specialists Area Sq.
Modus pulls off bank job
Refurbishment specialist Modus Group has been appointed as principal contractor for the fit-out of a 96,000 sq ft headquarters in Central London.
Revised noise at work regulations scheduled for April
Under new noise at work regulations, set to come into effect in April 2006, employers will be required to limit staff exposure to noise above 85 decibels - the equivalent of a petrol lawnmower.
Plants enhance student performance, study says
Students perform better and more consistently in an environment that features plants, new research has found.
Barnet Council to go mobile
The London Borough of Barnet has signed a £6m contract for a new communications infrastructure that will, amongst other things, enable all staff to access IT systems remotely.
Research group gets state of the art workplace
BDGworkfutures has completed the interior design of new offices for key operating companies within the KMR Group, including BMRB, one of the largest market research agencies in the UK.
Workplace futures: where to from here?
The emphasis in the newest features on i-FM is the workplace, specifically getting the most out of the investment you make - both now and in the future.
Pushing cleanability up the agenda
Speaking at the opening of 2005/2006 Building Cleanability Awards, spokesman Stephen Wright urged the industry to focus on the importance of the relationship between effective cleaning and good building design.
The impact of design on workforce performance
Business leaders are being urged to take more account of the links between good workplace design and improved business performance, following a study by the Commission for Architecture & the Built Environment and the British Council for Offices.
Is home working safe?
According to a recent study by internet security company Novell, 80% of British home workers do not take security precautions when working from home, making them easy targets for hackers and viruses.
What's on your finance director's wishlist?
Workspace contractor Morgan Lovell has questioned finance directors at 200 major UK businesses. At least one unexpected ambition was uncovered.
Accountants find a way to express passion
New offices in Cambridge for professional services firm Deloitte & Touche reveal that even tax and audit specialists have a bright side.
'Best workplace in Britain' up for sale
If you fancy working in Cornwall in a unique, eco-friendly building that showcases both workplace amenities and energy efficiency, a mere £1.8m will secure the freehold.
Derby tries out mobile working
Outsourcing specialist Capita, which runs Derby City Council's IT services, has pulled out all the stops and enabled council employees to operate as a mobile workforce - but only for one day.
Is this the end of the office?
Stuffed with old books it may be, but the British Library is also carving out new territory for itself as one of the hottest wireless workplaces in London. It has now launched an installation that brings together ICT with leading edge furniture design.
Wellcome Trust opens new HQ
The subject of interest and conjecture ever since construction of the new building started next door to the old one, the Wellcome Trust's London headquarters has now been officially opened.
Flower power makes a comeback
Fresh flowers are increasingly being used as a tool to enhance and reinforce the relationships between businesses and their clients, as well as with their own staff.
British Library goes wireless
The British Library has introduced wireless network services throughout its main public access areas - and found itself becoming the destination of choice for both formal and informal business meetings.
CMP plans new workplace event
Exhibition and conference organiser CMP has confirmed initial plans for its new Context event, to be held at Earl's Court, London, from October 11 - 13, 2005.
Claremont takes BCO award for second year
Interior design and fit-out specialist Claremont Group Interiors has won a British Council for Offices award for a landmark scheme in Manchester city centre.
Reception makeover for Cheltenham
Cheltenham Borough Council has spent £400,000 on fresh reception facilities designed to set new standards in customer service provision.
PwC practices what it preaches
PricewaterhouseCoopers has completed a refurbishment of its West Midlands offices that implements new ways of working and reflects changing business models.
Working environment is key to improving the bottom line
Over 80% of managers believe that an improved working environment leads to better staff morale, but less than 50% have recently made any improvements or have plans to do so.
Dress down is the right strategy
Casual attire is not just for Fridays, it seems. A new survey of 500 companies has found that policies are changing and the pay-off is likely to be greater productivity.
Research links hospital design and nursing performance
Nearly 90% of nursing directors believe that the design and functioning of hospital buildings impacts significantly on the performance of nursing staff working within them.
Overbury completes Bexley contact centre
Office fit-out specialist Overbury has completed a £300,000 scheme to refurbish a contact centre and linking area at the offices of Bexley Council in Bexleyheath, south east London.
Unilever unveils plans to move….and move again
Unilever House, one of London's most recognisable buildings, is to be totally refurbished in a project that will see the consumer products giant move out of its HQ for two years before moving back in again.
Five point plan for meeting DDA deadline
The final phase of the Disability Discrimination Act comes into effect in October. H&S consultancy OHS says FMs should take five steps to prepare.
Art is the answer, says property expert
Developers could be missing a trick by failing to place sufficient emphasis on workplace art, civic sculpture and landscaping in new commercial developments, according to property specialists DTZ.
Verco bucks downward trend in furniture market
Office furniture manufacturer Verco has posted an upbeat forecast for 2004 sales in the face of a 21% overall UK market downturn during the previous year.
US companies learning to get by on less
Reflecting a growing trend in the States, PricewaterhouseCoopers has confirmed that it will be the latest firm to move into significantly reduced floorspace with no associated cuts in its workforce.
Modus completes Opodo fit out; Eurest starts catering
Modus Group recently completed a 20,000 sq ft, £950,000 fit out for internet-based travel company, Opodo. It includes a canteen for Eurest's catering services.
Kier ranked 25th in the UK's top 50 best workplaces
Kier has been ranked no. 25 in the UK's Best Workplaces 2004 - just a few months after it was also listed as one of the best companies to work for.
Makeover for CBRE Investors offices
Refurbished London offices for CBRE Investors, the investment management subsidiary of CBRE, feature space-saving 'mini-boardrooms' and a dazzling colour scheme.
Morgan Lovell completes offices for Expedia.com
Workplace fit out expert Morgan Lovell has completed new work spaces for internet travel company Expedia.com in the Soho Landflex building
Managers 'lose £9,000 a year in unpaid overtime'
British workers are working long hours and not getting adequate rewards, says the TUC, launching a calculator to allow us to calculate how much we are short. Professionals and managers are the worst off.
CABE and RCN launch hospital design campaign
The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment and the Royal College of Nursing are today launching a campaign for radical improvements in the design of new hospitals.
£20m in new wins for Overbury
Office fit out specialist Overbury has won new work worth more than £20m.
Relocation impacts 7 in 10 companies
The latest research shines light on churn and relocation as well as advice on best practice.
Overbury team gear up for Great Ormond Street
Paul Brazier and Ben Taylor from Overbury are taking part in the 31st Annual Great Ormond Street Hospital Driving Challenge to Macon in France.
Homeworking fails the 'cushy life' test
Two in five homeworkers report working more than eight hours a day, and over three-quarters find themselves working at weekends. New research from Norwich Union explodes the myth that working from home makes for a cushy life.
WorkPlace 03 opens at ExCel
WorkPlace 03, the office solutions exhibition for facility managers, architects and designers, opens today at ExCeL in London's Docklands.
Time to take action on disabled access
With the final stage of the Disability Discrimination Act 1996 due for implementation next year - which may involve removing physical obstacles from buildings - the Disability Rights Commission is calling for early action.
Designs for town hall reception on show at Workplace 03
Three design practices will present their ideas for re-working the reception area of the listed Newham Town Hall at next month's Workplace event.
Unification at Unilever Bestfoods headquarters
Designers helped a newly-merged company to integrate two properties and two corporate cultures in Crawley.
MBO at Georgeson
The managing director of Georgeson Office Interiors has bought the company.
TUC calls for maximum workplace temperature
As the mercury rises across Britain the TUC is repeating its almost annual demand for a legal maximum temperature in the workplace.
British don't homework like Europeans
Britain has the second-lowest number of staff working from home in Europe, according to new research. However, we are very enthusiastic about the practice.
New offices for Kimberly-Clark
BDGworkfutures has completed a workplace project for Kimberly-Clark in Brighton, driven by the need to accommodate an extra 225 staff.
DTI posts flexible working request forms on website
The DTI has developed forms which employees and employers may use when either making, granting or refusing requests for flexible working.
Higher education space forum
The UK Higher Education Space Management Group has been set up by the four UK funding bodies to assist higher education institutions to identify and implement best practice in the management of space.
ISG warns on second half and pulls back in Europe
Interior Services Group says the war in Iraq and the SARS outbreak created general uncertainty, depressing sales in the second half of its financial year. The order book finished just below last year's levels.
Office art commissioned for WorkPlace 03
International art consultants will be bringing a new dimension to the WorkPlace 03 event in October.
Poor lighting blamed for series of ills
A new study by the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety says that poor office lighting not only makes people sleepy, it can also cause neck and shoulder pain, headaches, eye fatigue and poor productivity.
Sainsbury's hires in flexible space for mass training
110,000 employees at 472 Sainsbury's stores requiring training on the company's new checkout systems due to be introduced this summer, are receiving system training in specially fitted-out Portakabins.
Flexible workspace competition winner named
The Wall, a new furniture system featuring push-up and pop-out surfaces that can be used as temporary workstations, may soon be a common sight in office receptions, airport lounges and similar areas.
Homeworkers still weighing up work-life balance
The quality of home life for homeworkers is the theme of a new study by the Economic and Social Research Council. Teleworkers still find it hard to tip the work-life balance in their favour, it concludes.
Graduate designers look at work and play
Ideas for breakout areas in offices from young designers at London Metropolitan University will be on show at WorkPlace 03 later this year.
Office space per person shrinking in US
America appears finally to be following the European trend towards smaller workstation footprints and open plan office space.
BDG to re-design comms company office
BDGworkfutures (formerly BDG McColl) has been appointed by media communications specialist and sister company Mediaedge:cia to re-design its London headquarters.
£4.6m start to New Year for Morgan Lovell
Workplace specialist Morgan Lovell reports new contracts worth £4.6m won recently, including the fitting out of internet retailer eBay's new headquarters in Richmond.
Working on Christmas Day? You're not alone.
Almost a million people will be working on Christmas Day, according to a new report from the TUC.
Veritas unveils new offices
Storage management software firm Veritas has brought together all its European operations at its new Reading location and provided an environment to support, attract and retain the best people.
Capital One invests in workplace to avoid SAD workers
Capital One has examined its workplaces to ensure that workers do not become affected with Seasonal Affective Disorder- or 'the winter blues'. Windows, social areas and splashes of colour will all enhance productivity and avoid depression, they say.
Overbury appoints operations manager
Office fit out specialist Overbury has appointed John Coyle, 48, as operations manager.
Claremont backs Cool Space
Workplace interior specialist Claremont is supporting a new Leeds-based business interiors company, Cool Space.
BBCi unveils interactive studio
The BBC's interactive services arm has transformed part of Bush House in London into an interactive studio which will allow the public to see digital content being put together, to try out services and to participate.
Skanska and IKEA create ‘work smart' concept
Building on its BoSmart (Live Smart) concept, construction and services company Skanska and furniture manufacturer IKEA have collaborated yet again to create ArbetaSmart (Work Smart), offering SME businesses high-quality offices at low cost.
BDG McColl completes MBDA offices
BDG McColl has completed the first phase of a three-year project for MBDA's new offices in Stevenage,
Area Sq wins £4m contracts
Design and fit-out specialist Area Sq has been awarded over £4m worth of business in the last quarter, including its largest deal to date.
Michael Brill, trail-blazing guru of workplace design, dies at 66
Michael Brill, president of BOSTI Associates, an architectural theorist and professor of design at the University at Buffalo School of Architecture and Planning, died unexpectedly July 26, in Buffalo General Hospital. Brill was 66.
Dutch oil company signs £8m deal with Regus
Oil company Agip KCO is to relocate more than 300 people to a new Regus business centre in The Hague in a deal worth more than £8m over five years.
Office design and fit-out portfolio
Office fit out specialist Overbury has won four new agreements in the last month worth £30m while Tilney Shane completed ALI's national hub and OFTEL moved into its new office.
Connaught work for Arcadia nears completion
Facilities management company Connaught's £500,000 fast-track upgrade of three retail stores for the Arcadia Group is scheduled for completion in September.
ICI moves into new HQ
ICI has moved into its new headquarters in London's Manchester Square, accommodating 200 staff.
Nationwide selects AWA for intelligent buildings programme
Nationwide Building Society has appointed Advanced Workplace Associates to lead a programme to make its major buildings more responsive, better utilised and more efficiently managed, in other words more 'intelligent'.
Innovative Free Dimensions speakers
Flexibility, innovation and space perspectives were the topics of discussion at last week's Work Foundation conference, Free Dimensions, at the BFI IMAX in Central London.
Overbury completes Amadeus fit-out
Morgan Sindall company Overbury has completed the £2.1m fit-out for travel technology company Amadeus, at the World Business Centre 3 by Heathrow Airport.
Features - Search found 100 features
[95]-copy.jpeg)
From support to strategy: what’s in store for 2026?
New ideas put into practice will change work and work environments for the better.
Radio frequency technology: an answer to FM needs
In FM, often it’s the least visible things that cause the most disruption, notes Jason Webb.
The balancing act of managing the workspace
In today’s rapidly evolving work environment, facilities and workplace managers are juggling competing demands from leadership and employees.
[71]-copy.jpg)
Gen Z is choosing the office
And that’s a wake-up call for workplace strategy.
Make your workplace more circular
Eleanor Holmes outlines eight steps to follow in pursuit of greater sustainability.
How the past informs the future of winter cleaning
2020 seems like ancient history. But Covid-19 and other airborne illnesses are still present.
[52]-copy.jpg)
Which way forward?
What better candidate for a workplace transformation case study than Which?
Flexspace: finding a place in corporate thinking
We talked with flexspace expert Kurt Mroncz to find out how this concept went from maybe to mainstream in corporate real estate strategy.
Five things FMs can do to prepare for winter
Ask most facilities managers which season brings the most challenges and the top answer will likely be winter.
FM in a hybrid working world
Often lost in all the conversation around ‘new ways of working’ is what it all means for facilities management.
Digital twins: the next stage of BIM
It’s not controversial to say that BIM, building information modelling, has struggled to gain traction in facilities management market since the concept was introduced to the sector almost 20 years ago.
Corporate property: what now?
Developers, agents, landlords, architects, designers, real estate people and facilities managers united at the British Council for Offices Annual Conference earlier this month. Jo Sutherland looks back.
Thinking a bit more creatively
Steve Brewer reflects on this year’s IWFM ‘agents of change’ conference.
FM for a sustainable future - ready, tech, go
What will it take to achieve a sustainable built environment? To support a hybrid workforce? To maintain resilience and agility?
Optimising the workplace with CAFM
The facilities management sector has undergone a transformational shift. Not only have we witnessed a transition to more digital ways of working, but the responsibilities placed on facilities managers have grown in scope.
Sustainable buildings: visiting the future
April’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report offered a slither of hope that we can stave off the worst ravages of climate breakdown.
Creating workspace cultures to attract Gen Z
The chasm of generational differences between workers is widening with the general acceptance of new remote and hybrid workstyles.
Workplace: airing the big issues
Three years on since The Workplace Event was last held face to face, it made its long-awaited return to the Birmingham NEC this month. Craig Peters reports.
Why businesses should be investing in PropTech
As we begin to emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic, there is a heightened focus on employee health and wellbeing.
Managing winter’s ‘triple threat’
Steve Rainbow explores how an effective building management system removes the age-old question of when to tinker with the thermostat.
A future for hybrid working
In July Wates Group launched its post-pandemic office concept at its head office in Leatherhead. John Cartwright shares insights and predictions for the future for commercial fit-out.
Managing the return to the office: the legal sector
Most law firms have outperformed expectations on fee income, despite the pandemic. What is less certain is the way the sector is embracing hybrid working.
Cleaning takes centre stage
As the return to the workplace gathers pace, the focus is on building confidence in those people who have been working elsewhere for so many months.
How can offices thrive in the next chapter of work?
After more than a year of uncertainty and lockdowns across the UK, there is renewed confidence in returning to a more normal life as we approach the final stages of the government’s roadmap to lift restrictions.
Digital twins: the new tool for facilities managers
Covid-19 has spurred a wave of innovation across the business world and certainly within FM itself.
Grey space: A flexible opportunity?
Grey space, those areas that now look like being surplus floorspace, might well present an opportunity for office occupiers to invest in new flexible workspace.
Managing employee experience in the hybrid era
The past year has been tough on conventional wisdom. Covid-19 has challenged everything we think we know about the world, including the nature of work and workplace.
Technology is key to success in flexspace
The recent easing of lockdown and reopening of pubs, shops and outdoor spaces has re-energised discussions surrounding the return to offices.
[26]-copy.jpg)
The workplace: a major player in talent attraction & retention
Will Richards highlights three best workplace strategies to support talent attraction and retention in a post-Covid19 world.
Improving employee experience in a post-Covid world
Few could have predicted the disruption of the pandemic, which has left thousands of buildings across the country lying empty. How do we think about what comes next?
Technology: supporting the return to the office
In the wake of Covid-19, organisations around the world are rethinking space utilisation, employee engagement and wellbeing, sustainability and the overall real estate portfolio.
Getting flexible with workplace management technology
The only constant in life is change. Managing an office building in the 18th century would look a lot different to a 21st century workplace.
Using technology to create better user experiences
2021 will, we hope, see offices reopening and employees returning with new views on how they want to work. Technology has a crucial role to play.
The outlook for the offices in 2021
The year ahead is a promising time for the office market. While the UK faces further lockdown measures, the vaccination programme brings light to the end of the tunnel.
Flexspace and the future of the office
Like many industries, the flexspace sector is facing one of its greatest challenges in the global pandemic.
.png)
Ergonomics for a healthy, productive remote workforce
As we move towards the end of an absolutely tumultuous year, it’s clear that Covid-19 has had a deep and lasting impact on remote working.
A smarter cleaning vision
It is hard to predict the long-term impact that Covid-19 will have on working practices in Europe and the knock-on implications for commercial real estate and workspaces.
Workspace design post-Covid
It's been a challenging year for facilities management on many fronts, and one more lies in the future of the office. We still need them, but what does FM need to do to ensure they are fit for a new future?
Keeping your premises Covid safe
In the facilities management sector, you have the hefty responsibility of looking after your premises and building users, whether these be staff, visitors, customers, residents or patients.
Smart buildings for the 'new normal'
Facilities managers are under pressure to re-open offices safely, but the stakes could not be higher. So how can technology help?
Covid-ready communal areas
Facilities managers across all sectors are incredibly busy right now, as throughout the UK businesses are urged back to work by the government.
Managing safety and risk in workforce transition
With the threat of the Covid-19 pandemic far from over, facility owners and managers need to stay up to date with the latest information, and stay flexible in their return-to-work planning.
Potential trends and changes to workplaces
In the final instalment of this series examining the return to work post-shutdown in the UK, Faegre Drinker solicitors look at the potential trends and longer term changes that the Covid-19 pandemic will likely have on workplaces.
Addressing the economic impact of Covid-19
In this second instalment in a series examining the challenges UK employers are likely to face in the coming months, solicitors at Faegre Drinker look at how employers can manage the economic impact the pandemic will likely have on many workplaces.
Returning to work post-shutdown
The Covid-19 pandemic and the resultant lockdown have caused a massive shift in the way we work. The experts from international law firm Faegre Drinker examine the challenges UK employers are likely to face in the coming months.
What future for flexible workspace providers?
Demand for flexible workspace in the UK has dropped to roughly 20% of pre-Covid-19 levels and does not look set to recover soon. But many providers are remaining open, though often with skeleton staff.
Retrofitting workspace to meet new demands
The Covid-19 pandemic is causing us to rethink what is important for the workplace and how offices are designed, built and managed.
Why smart businesses minimise risk with smart detectors
Market research firm Gartner has predicted that in the internet of things marketplace building automation will be the segment with the largest growth rate in 2020, at 42%.
What happens after lockdown?
On Thursday 16 April, the UK government extended the lockdown by at least another three weeks. That’s not to say life will return to normal on early in May, of course. But, in the meantime, how should we think about this?
Businesses clean up to fight invisible enemy
With the number of coronavirus cases rising, businesses are more conscious than ever of the need to protect themselves against this invisible enemy.
University at home: lessons from FM
Sienna Emanuel reports on how students are finding the switch from university facilities to studies at home, and how to make that work.
Working from home: mixed messages, mixed success
Homeworking has rocketed up the agenda at many, if not most, organisations across the public and private sectors as covid-19 forces so much change. But the transition will not be easy for all.
Combatting the January blues with nature
Every January many head back to work after the excitement of Christmas, braving cold and wet weather and committed to ambitious diets and New Year’s resolutions. It’s no wonder many consider this their least favourite month.
Data-driven design to stand the test of time
Getting your workspace right can be a game-changer for any business. But how do you know what style will stand the test of time? What will the workplace of the future look like?
Productive, high-performing and healthy workplaces
Given what we already know, why isn't everyone making changes to create these, asks John O’Brien.
Smart solutions deliver benefits
Eindhoven University of Technology's Atlas Building is reckoned to be the most sustainable educational facility in the world following a 'smart' refurbishment.
Workplace planning: new tech opens new doors
As workplace needs and expectations change, 3D mobile mapping is becoming a key tool in building management, from construction to streamlining the process of maintenance and upgrades.
What the office really means to a business
Increasing the cost-efficiency of a business, managing health and safety requirements, extending the lifespan of assets and monitoring and maintaining compliance all showcase the importance of facilities management today.
Wellness and FM
The word wellness is everywhere. Type #Wellness into Instagram and you'll find 30 million posts ranging from bowls of green salads, to intense exercise routines, to bottles of activated charcoal. All with a collective 'shine' associated with good health.
When the lift doesn't go to the top
The subject of emotional intelligence seems to be everywhere, in bookshops, magazines and Twitter feeds. But how relevant is all this to workplace design and management?
LGBT+ in FM
The why, when and what: insights and updates from the LGBT+ in FM committee.
Combining the power of people and data
UK-based government solutions provider KBR is no stranger to the facilities management market. A major partner to 20% of the British armed forces, KBR also takes on contracts where they provide a client-side and strategic role.
Delivering the goods
In this case study, we look at how the FM team at delivery company Hermes is ensuring the workplace copes with today's pressures, and can also be ready for tomorrow’s.
Protecting people from an invisible killer
Air pollution is a global environmental health issue with reports increasingly suggesting that poor air quality may be associated with mental health problems. Peter Dyment examines ways FMs can help mitigate the problem.
Health, productivity and indoor air quality
As a business, you’re no doubt striving towards giving your customers the best possible experience. As an employer, you’ll be committed to the health and wellbeing of your staff. But something could be impacting your efforts more than you realise.
Solving the productivity puzzle
Leadership is what impacts productivity the most, but not enough attention is paid to it and anyway, asks Sion Davies, do we have the right calibre of leaders in the FM and workplace sectors?
Productivity: new insight into an old problem
New UK research shows high CO2 concentrations in offices are decreasing people’s cognitive capability. John O’Brien explains the background to this and what the findings mean.
How tech is transforming property markets
Over the past five years, new tech has drastically transformed the way B2B and B2C businesses operate. Ritam Gandhi looks at what’s available now and what's on the horizon.
Coworking and the demise of the commercial property lease
Traditional commercial office leases are under threat, as an increasing number of organisations begin to recognise the value of flexible working. But why should facilities managers care about this new trend?
The impact of IoT on facilities management
The Internet of Things is changing fast. What does that mean for facilities managers? David Armour looks at current opportunities and some possibilities on the horizon.
IoT and facilities management
Facilities management is a wide-ranging field that is standing on the edge of a precipice. Lee Davies looks at what technology has to offer for the best way forward.
Office design and the importance of empowerment
Over the past few years, businesses have started to question whether open offices really encourage the behaviours they’re supposed to inspire. But that might well be the wrong starting point for this discussion, as Gerry Brennan explains.
Technology and safety in pharmaceutical FM
Compliance and safety are paramount to every pharmaceutical business, but the focus for the FM team is especially important. Mike Knapp explains.
Workplace wellness now front of mind
Up to five million UK workers have a mental health condition, and UK FMs have a role to play in doing something about it. Fiona Perrin reports.
Cash is no longer king for the FM
Driven by the phenomenal growth of smart technology over the past decade, the UK is heading towards becoming a largely cash-free society, with people preferring to use alternative and more convenient methods of payment.
Facilities management in smart buildings
Building technology has come along in leaps and bounds, and 'smart' projects that can offer tangible, operational benefits to building managers and tenants are becoming increasingly popular. Nick Sacke explores some of the issues and opportunities.
More than free food and bean bags
Adapting our working practices to support millennials can play a big role in staff retention, says Sienna Emanuel.
How nudging can drive higher workplace efficiency
Managers and companies looking to grow profitably can hardly disagree that employee productivity has become the major managerial battlefield. ISS offers some advice on the concept of 'nudging'.
Coworking comes to the corporation
Coworking spaces create community and collaboration. Some enterprises want a bit of that buzz, reports Fiona Perrin from the frontline of flexible working.
Keeping it real in tech
Artificial intelligence, the rise of the robots, the internet of things, big data: technology is coming to take over. But how much of it is delivering real FM benefits today? Fiona Perrin went in search of those who are keeping it real.
Change vs transition in service outsourcing
Change management and transition management are important processes of any service outsourcing project. But what is the difference between them and what outcomes can they help you to achieve? ISS offers insights and advice.
Achieving a high-performing workplace
Leesman, the global business intelligence tool that benchmarks how workplaces support employee and organisational performance, has launched a new research report which outlines where the best workplaces are outperforming the rest.
Collaborative workplaces: flexible and future-proofed
Lieven Bertier explores how technology can help FMs create work spaces fit for the future.
Smart data, efficient schools, improved performance
George Adams and Liam Rock explore some of the complexity of applying big data principles in an education setting, a challenge that promises significant benefits.
Biophilic design: sorting the facts from the myths
Ahead of The Facilities Event this April, i-FM talks to sustainable architectural and interior design guru Oliver Heath about biophilic design, separating the fact from the fiction about this deep connection between humans and nature.
Helping workers escape the concrete jungle
Research from bicycle manufacturer Ribble recently found that most Britons spend 92% of their time indoors. So, if people spend just 8% of their time outside, when do they get to interact with nature? Kenneth Freeman looks at some of the opportunities.
Flexible workspace: drivers and the direction of travel
Things are obviously changing fast in the world of work. Business centres, serviced offices and similar flexible options have been around for years; but suddenly the coworking phenomenon is taking off. Sector expert Kurt Mroncz explains why.
Getting the most from your investment in office space
Here's what we know. The world of work is rapidly changing. If people are happy at work, they will deliver the goods and achieve their potential. Happiness at work builds a solid foundation that enables a thriving, agile workplace. Julia Lindsay explains.
An intelligent workplace for a market intelligence agency
The world of work is changing: we all know that. And it’s great to see some companies move with the times, and sometimes even skip ahead by a few strides.
Why the future of work is more human than you think
Everyone wants to be happy at work, and a growing number of forward-thinking companies are starting to recognise the importance of happiness in the workplace. Marie Puybaraud explains what's behind this shift in attitude.
Sensory overload
Sensor technology is spreading fast. How do we balance the benefits of that with growing concerns about privacy? Raj Krishnamurthy looks at the issues and opportunities.
The workplace: indoor environmental conditions and productivity
Workplace and productivity have become major themes in FM over recent months. Here, Tom Cudmore looks at the crucial role of the environment, its impact on people and how all that can be measured.
Flexible working challenges
Just as today's workers expect greater flexibility from their companies, so should facilities managers look for adaptability and innovation from their contractors. Chris Parkes considers what flexible working means for FMs and their outsourcing partners.
Five ways to safeguard your mobile lone workers
Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 employers have legal duties to assess all risks to health and safety, including the risk of lone working.
What's the deal with productivity?
Can workplace design improve productivity, and is that measurable? Simon Iatrou talks to some of the key players behind The Stoddart Review about the report, its aims and the workplace puzzle.
Defining the optimum workplace
Tom Cudmore introduces the Whole Life Performance Plus project, a collaborative effort that is aiming to create workplaces that enhance the productivity and wellbeing of occupants.
The rise and rise of technology
Building systems engineering has become a much more technical discipline. What does that mean for today's engineers and for their FM colleagues?
Tips for effective change management
The world of work is changing rapidly and, as such, many organisations are trying to work out how to take full advantage of the mobility technology avails their people. Andrew Mawson offers some insights into the challenge.
Seeing the light: FMs' views on LEDs
LED lighting could offer a good solution to a number of the big challenges facing all organisations and their facilities management teams. But how much do FMs know about LEDs and what are their views on the pros and cons?
Using technology to improve service experiences
Technology will change how services are managed, how end-users interact with service providers, and how service employees interact with end-users. But what are the opportunities and risks in using technology to improve service experiences?
Comments - Search found 60 comments
Managing office noise
Sarah Edwards explores how acoustics impact productivity and wellbeing.
Why 'generational workplace design' misses the mark
The workforce is ageing. What does that mean for how we think about the places people work?
Back to basics: food as a workplace differentiator
Food sits at the heart of the workplace experience.
Managing more than space
The FM learning curve for new premises.
Six burning questions for FM
In every conversation I have with clients, peers and our own teams, the same themes keep emerging.
The future of office catering
As workplace dynamics continue to evolve, businesses are rethinking catering to meet changing employee expectations.
The future of FM in 2025
Matt Bailey explores key trends set to redefine workspace management and facilities operations in the coming year.
Radar-based occupancy sensing comes to FM
New systems can detect even the slightest movement, meaning greater accuracy and efficiency.
Creating people-first workspaces
There can be no denying it. Technology is revolutionising the way people work.
Don’t let flexible working become a legal headache
In a changing world, more data and better communication between HR and FM are essential.
A greener future for the office
Property markets have experienced significant turbulence in recent times – so, what’s next?
How data powers sustainability in workspaces
If we don’t know what’s happening in our offices, we can’t make them more efficient or sustainable.
Elevating the workplace experience
FM teams, and increasingly HR professionals, are at the forefront of creating productive, efficient and people-first workplaces.
A few thoughts on 2022, and some on 2023
Simon Iatrou looks back, and then forward, from his perspective on the other side of the Atlantic.
Data, data everywhere
But data is not the same as information. For decision-makers, data can be meaningless, even misleading.
Can dynamic capacity planning offset high office costs this winter?
The world has been through a dramatic learning process, and everyone anticipated a new post-pandemic chapter. But that is still emerging, argues Raj Krishnamurthy.
Is this the end of the corporate reception area?
Workplace culture has emerged as a key factor as companies navigate their strategies and try to ensure that their employees are happy and productive in the office.
Early collaboration with system integrators is vital
The implementation of smart building technology can help attract and retain tenants in a complex post-Covid-19 environment.
The future of FM is changing
Some companies are already showing that agility and the ability to quickly adapt to a new business environment is the key to success.
Work and the workplace: what employers need to know
Employment solicitor Daniel Zona offers some advice on the rules covering hybrid and flexible working and how they might change.
Reestablishing the customer journey
For many, September marked a return to the office. And a shock to the system for many, too.
Finding the right technology in a digital world
The pandemic has spurred workplace change. A survey from McKinsey found that the year following the initial UK lockdown accelerated the adoption of workplace technology by several years.
Keeping company culture alive
Company culture is often discussed, but with so many organisations dispersed why does it matter now more than ever and how do we maintain it during these challenging times?
How can FM prepare to lead change in 2021?
Of all the disciplines within the wider property arena, facilities management is that most accustomed to change. But are we ready for the coming year?
Planning the return to the workplace
Another national lockdown presents a real challenge for many. But if it can provide the time needed to ready the workplace for a strong and safe return, it will be well worth the effort.
The power of working together
Mitie CEO Phil Bentley's four decades of work have left him with a few critical lessons learned.
The FM industry under the spotlight
The role of the facilities manager is evolving. The coronavirus pandemic has changed the workplace experience for companies in all industries, finance, retail and tech among them.
How do we get there from here?
Coronavirus has made futurists of us all. This pandemic is responsible for the most severe change to life since the Second World War and now organisations are scrambling to understand what the ‘new normal’ will look like.
Why hot-desking is the way forward
The government is wrong. Hot-desking is a good solution to get people back to work.
Returning to the workplace: a matter of consent?
The subject of returning to work is on everyone's lips at the moment, following the relaxation in England of restrictions to control the spread of coronavirus.
Returning to work: are we ready?
Over the next few weeks and months, buildings across the country will start to be reoccupied. A gradual process, this will nevertheless presents enormous challenges to many businesses.
The transformational journey to workplace 2030
In the year 2020, I am approximately 43 years into a career that has been more or less exclusively focused on corporate real estate. So writes Chris Hood, looking back in order to see forward more clearly.
Open plan offices: due for disruption
Received wisdom says that open plan offices are good for both employer and employee because they promote face-to-face collaborative working and, as a result, help harness creativity and improve teamwork.
Too much focus on Gen Y?
Lately, there has been loads of copy dedicated to a very specific cohort of the workforce, namely millennials: their personalities, their requirements, what they’ll bring to the workforce and what employers shouldn’t expect from them.
Consciously tackling unconscious bias
Unconscious bias has been common parlance in the business world for some years, and it continues to be one of the most important issues for business to recognise and manage.
Mental health first aiders: a benefit for us all
Wednesday December 19th will see a debate in the Commons, pushing for the implementation of a mental health first aider in every workplace to help bridge the gap between mental health and physical health care legislation in business.
Showcasing values-based activity in FM and workplace
Today is World Values Day, an opportunity to think about the principles that are important to us and to act on them.
FM and the need for leadership
With the world changing fast this is an important time to position facilities management as the lead enabling function for positive progress in multiple aspects of our lives, from the workplace through to cities. Geoff Prudence argues for greater focus.
The top workplace trends of 2018
Gregory Blondeau discusses the trends set to transform the workplace this year including the management of technology, personal data and privacy.
The Elemental Workplace
The relationship between facilities management and the emerging discipline of Workplace has always been slightly awkward.
Broadening the FM view
Considering how an environment makes employees feel and interact is key to creating business-supporting workspaces, says Jeff Flanagan.
Experience counts
Anthony Bennett discusses the role of the service provider in the employee experience.
Managing FM in an agile workspace
Agile working is a hugely popular trend in workplace circles, but how exactly does it look in practice? Ravi Bhatnagar unpacks some of the key issues around the concept for facilities managers.
The business benefits of hard data
Simon Iatrou's recent comment piece titled 'Where's the proof?' prompted a few thoughts on the analysis of data to make a case and how that applies particularly in FM.
Don't over design it
Adam Burtt-Jones argues that design has to ask difficult questions of other professional disciplines to make sure a space is effective.
Style over substance
The temptation to buy the latest must-have gizmo can often be too hard to resist. In the workplace, this impulse negates the practical needs of staff and leads to poorly performing spaces.
The importance of being diligent
Laziness is at the heart of many failures in workplace design, says Adam Burtt-Jones. The solution is to ask the tough questions of the right people.
Workplace management is NOT 'non core'
Another year has gone and we're within a short hop of this year's Workplace Week Convention, entitled 'The work/place revolution… taking human performance to new levels'.
Wellbeing doesn't need to cost the earth
Christopher Pedersen offers his top 10 tips on implementing wellbeing at a very low cost
Remote control
As Workplace Week comes to a close, showcasing some of the best examples of office innovation in the UK, Tim Clapham discusses how technology can help facilitate new ways of working.
Utilisation studies: science or sorcery?
We have all sat through workplace consultants' presentations in which they report that the benchmark workstation utilisation is around 50%. What exactly does that mean?
Flexible workspace: real benefits
Flexible working has long been a hot topic amongst industry folk, but the recent announcement from Yahoo! made the issue a national discussion point yet again.
SAD days are coming
Next Monday many of us will be going to work in semi-darkness as the clocks go back an hour on Sunday.
Getting the balance right
Past experience tells us, or should tell us, that major shifts in working cultures and working practices are invariably linked to new technology.
Game changer opportunity
No matter what the economic circumstances, the successful teams, the successful businesses and the successful people all have one thing in common: a sense of purpose provided by strong leadership.
Shedding light on a big issue
After temperature ('it's too hot', 'the office is freezing'), lighting is one of the main issues that keep facilities helpdesk lines buzzing.
Time to Get Personal
The nine-to-five monotony of the desk-bound office dweller is finally giving way to a work anywhere anytime culture designed to maximise creativity and efficiency. Are you ready for it?
Brand Spanking
It always pays to read the media for which you are writing: you can learn a lot.
Look After Your People
Read all the HR surveys, listen to all the commentators talk about the biggest challenges we face and somewhere up there you will find the word 'retention'.
Death of the Office?
Research suggests that almost total redundancy of the physical office is on the cards in as little as twenty years' time.
Latest News
Latest Features
[95]-copy.jpeg)
Latest Comments
Suppliers Guide
