Tag Archives: office

Employee Experience, News

The majority of employees wish their workspace was quieter, survey reveals

  • IRIS Clarity poll finds that the majority of workers don’t like noise in the office, with respondents wearing headphones to avoid it
  • Over a fifth of work calls are interrupted multiple times each call due to background noise

London, UK; Monday 11 July: The majority of employees wish their working space is quieter than it is now. That’s according to a poll by IRIS Clarity, the AI-powered voice isolation app, which surveyed UK and US respondents on their attitudes towards office noise.

Seventy-one percent of respondents wish their working space was quieter than it is now. This is more prevalent in the UK (79%) compared to in the US (63%).

The poll found that the majority of respondents don’t like noise in the office (54%) and actively wear headphones to avoid it, compared to 46% who feel like some office buzz and noise fuel their creativity. Interestingly, male respondents were more likely to thrive on office noise (53%), whereas female respondents prefer quieter offices (58%). When comparing the results between ages 18-34 and 35+, those in the younger age bracket prefer atmospheric offices (57%). Those 35 and above don’t like office noise (63%).

When asked how frequently background noise interrupts their calls throughout the day, the majority of respondents said they were disrupted at least once a day on calls they conduct (89% at home and 91% at work). Additionally, those surveyed said they are more likely to be distracted in the office (54%) compared to at home (46%).

Jacobi Anstruther, founder and CEO of IRIS Clarity, commented: “Whether you love or hate office buzz, it shouldn’t be disrupting crucial conversations on work calls. Distracting noise reduces concentration and productivity, while also causing workplace stress. At IRIS, we ensure the focus remains on what’s important: your words.”

Using the latest in AI technology, IRIS Clarity’s software removes distracting background noise from VoIP and customer calls. Real-time and bi-directional, IRIS Clarity allows participants on both sides of a call to immediately enjoy clearer sound, no matter where they are. IRIS Clarity improves focus, engagement, and wellbeing, bringing control to otherwise uncontrollable environments.

To learn more about IRIS Clarity, visit the website here: https://iris.audio/clarity-enterprise.

News

New Birmingham home for M3.Agency at it reveals two-year blueprint to hit £2m fees

A clutch of new client wins and a surge in demand for full digital marketing services following lockdown has paved the way for a new Birmingham home for M3.Agency.

The full-service advertising agency, which also has bases in Albrighton and London, has invested more than £750,000 into a two-year blueprint that will see it grow its revenue in the second city to £2m and complete a recruitment drive that will increase staff numbers by more than a third.

First stage of the expansion plan is now complete, with the move into the impressive Cubo Work buildings in Birmingham giving it a 30-seater office and access to the latest meeting rooms, shared collaboration spaces and entertainment facilities, including bars and panoramic views over Chamberlain Square.

It marks a successful first three years for the firm in the city that has seen it grow from a standing start in 2019 to an eighteen-strong workforce, with positions currently available in SEO, pay-per-click (PPC) advertising and social media.

Andrew Cove, Digital Marketing Director at M3.Agency, commented: “Covid-19 saw marketing budgets come under intense scrutiny and spends shift towards the long-term channels of SEO and social media.

“As soon as the world opened again, we saw existing and new clients increase spend in performance-based channels, such as PPC and paid social advertising, as they looked to take advantage of new opportunities.

“Digital marketing is very much driving our growth in Birmingham and companies are looking for a strategic approach that encompasses all the different disciplines, whether that is SEO, PPC, video or social media. We can deliver all of it under one roof and that really drives value for the client.”

He continued: “We’d outgrown our previous office, so wanted the next move to be a place we could call home for several years and that’s what we’ve got in Cubo. There’s space for 30 people to work in our own dedicated hub and then we’ve got all the great shared facilities that I’m sure will lead to more opportunities.

“Employing the best talent is crucial to M3.Agency’s growth. This building is in one of the best locations in Birmingham and will help us tap into a shift in mentality from candidates who have missed being in the office environment.

“We also recognise that people are searching for a better work-life balance, so wanted to go further by introducing flexible start and finish hours and giving staff the choice to work from home with a credit system.”

M3.Agency offers brand development, creative, digital marketing, media planning and web development services to a host of clients including Capstone Foster Care, MG Motor UK Ltd and West Midland Safari Park.

Its Birmingham office has been growing significantly and, in the last six months, the company has won pitches to supply digital marketing services to Amplifi, One Global Property and The Acacium Group.

Andrew went on to add: “We have really strengthened our senior management team in Birmingham, with the appointment of Steve Price as Creative Director, Emma Bowen as Group Account Director, and Dave Gayson as Performance Director.

“The latter has been promoted into this new role and will be key in helping us introduce our ‘Masters of Modern Marketing’ model that focuses on ensuring we have specialists in every creative, communication and marketing discipline the client could ever need.

“This will help us achieve our target of growing our Birmingham operation by 50% year-on-year.”

News

AML create ‘Return to work’ campaign for Derwent London

AML Group has created a distinctive new campaign for Derwent London, the capital’s leading specialist office property investor. ‘Return to work’ has been designed to communicate the organisation’s ongoing commitment to providing a safe environment for their tenants so that workers can feel confident as they negotiate a return to the workplace.

The campaign is being rolled out across Derwent London’s portfolio of 5.4 million square feet and uses striking architectural photography of some of their most iconic buildings as a backdrop to intriguing headlines and pithy copy that clearly and concisely outline the measures Derwent have put in place to facilitate safe environments.

Enhanced around-the-clock cleaning of common areas; air conditioning circulating fresh air, upgraded filters and clear social distancing guidelines are just a few of the measures in place that the campaign addresses.

The 12 executions feature a number of iconic Derwent London buildings including: White Chapel Building; the award-winning Brunel Building in Paddington and the iconic Tea Building – a notable and much-loved Shoreditch landmark.

“Working on this campaign was a unique experience for us as a business” explains Ian Henderson, CEO, AML Group “as Derwent London is both client and landlord! We know first-hand the concerns our people have in returning to a shared workspace and also the extraordinary measures Derwent have put in place to keep us safe. Our challenge with this campaign was to find a creative hook with enough flex to enable us to communicate a broad array of messaging. The answer, it turned out, was in the very fabric of the buildings we work in.”

The campaign, that includes posters, signage and social, is being rolled out across all Derwent London commercial properties.

Please visit: https://aml-group.com/

News

James McGoldrick discusses the personal benefits of office working

As more and more Britons receive vaccinations and lockdown restrictions continue to ease, employers and employees alike are grappling with the decision to return to the office, or to continue to encourage staff to work from home.

As the managing director of online gift retailers Bradfords Bakers, Send Them Balloons, and Send Them Cupcakes, James McGoldrick has always been able to keep his staff onsite as it is vital to remain operational. He has happily kept all his staff present onsite, and has taken hygiene precautions to keep all his staff safe from COVID-19.

He recognises the benefits office working has on his staff, especially during the pandemic. Here, James discusses the advantages of office working for his employees.

  1. A chance to be social

“At the height of the pandemic, it was really difficult to see friends and family we don’t live with as everyone was isolating, and social environments like cafes were closed. It was a really lonely time for a lot of people, so any excuse for a chat and social interaction with someone outside of the household became very valuable.

“It’s easy to get frustrated with the people you spend all your time with, so a break and a chance to discuss different things with different people is important.

“Going to a safe workplace is an excellent opportunity to do just that. While not everyone enjoys going to work, going to see a friend can be really beneficial on the psyche.”

  1. An excuse to exercise

“People have put in so much effort into working out at home or taking up jogging while gyms have been closed, but when you’ve got limited space, or neighbours to worry about hearing you, or distractions, exercising at home can actually be very difficult to get stuck into.

“When working at home, a lot of people end up remaining in an office chair, or a couch, or bed, for a full day. Although your staying at home, working in your own house can still be mentally tiring, and not everyone will have the energy to be active after a shift.

“The commute is a good chance to exercise, even if it’s just a walk to the bus stop. Then being at the office and walking around doing things keeps you moving and on your feet. You still may not have the energy to do a workout after work, but it’s still a positive thing, having a reason to move about.”

  1. Change of scenery

“Staring at the same four walls of our home’s day in, day out, can be draining. The days can become monotonous and plain boring when working from home, especially as the boundary between the place where you rest and the place where you work becomes blurred, and it’s difficult to turn off and settle into your free time after your shift.

“Your workplace may not be extremely exciting to behold, but it can still be a breath of fresh air to spend some time somewhere different. And again, the commute serves a positive purpose here as you drive, travel, cycle, or walk, you may encounter different people and scenes that can be unique and exciting.”

 

“Of course, the decision of whether to come back to the office or remain working from home should be a collaborative one made by the employee and employer both. If a workplace cannot be considered safe while COVID-19 is still a threat, then staff should absolutely remain working from home. But as the world reopens we should pay attention to the wants and needs of our employees, and come to the decision that is best for them.”

News

Top tips for a healthy return to the office

As employees return to the office what are employers’ health and safety obligations? With an estimated 11 million Brits (source: BUPA) suffering increased back problems as a result of working from home, how can employers ensure the office is safe? Amanda Harris MCSP, expert Physiotherapist and Founder of The Physio Company (www.thephysiocompany.co.uk) provides her top tips:

  1. Ensure all employees are using fully adjustable chairs. If your employees are working partly from home, you will need to supply appropriate chairs for the office and home.
  2. Supply rucksacks. Will your employees be carrying laptops to and from the office and meetings? If so, it’s worth supplying rucksacks so that the weight is evenly distributed; laptops flung into handbags can cause serious neck injuries.
  3. Make sure that IT equipment can be used safely. Laptops are not designed for full time work. If you are expecting employees to use them, you have to supply stands and separate keyboards so that the screen can be brought up to the correct height (the top of the screen should be level with the user’s eyes. The keyboard should be level with their elbows).
  4. Train staff to adjust their workstation before use. Hot desking is no longer as popular as it was due to the pandemic. However, if you do intend to return to it, or introduce it, all employees have to be trained in how to adjust the workstation, including the chair, to suit them. They will also need to be instructed to clean the workstation after use to prevent infection.
  5. Make social distancing easy to achieve. You may find you will need to leave some empty desks or, if that’s not possible due to space, install screens between desks to protect staff. Hand sanitiser should be readily available and face masks should be worn in communal areas.

As an employer you have a legal obligation to supply a safe working environment. A key part of that is the workstation set up, whether employees are at home or in your office. All employees should be given desk tests (which can be conducted remotely) to assess the workstation and make any necessary adjustment. I would also recommend hiring a Health and Safety professional as it is easy for key issues to be overlooked, which can put the employer at risk of prosecution.

Please visit: www.thephysiocompany.co.uk

 

News

Commute, not Covid, main reason employees are avoiding offices

– Only one in four cite health concerns as their main reason for not wanting to return to the office
– 70% say loss of work-life balance and commuting again are their main issues
– Two-thirds of people think they are more productive working at home rather than the office

Nottingham, UK. 20th August 2020: Employees worried about returning to the office post-lockdown are most concerned about work-life balance and the daily commute, rather than their health, according to research from absence intelligence company e-days.

Whereas only a quarter of employees are most worried about potential health implications, results of a snapshot poll of 100 workers show that 7 out of 10 of us are more concerned with impact to work-life balance (37%) or the office commute (34%). The research follows the change in government advice on 1 August 2020 meaning employers can make their own decisions about staff returning safely to work.

Respondents were asked to choose between ‘health implications’, ‘commute’, ‘work/life balance’ and ‘routine’ as the area they are most worried about in returning to their place of work. The results come as analysis from US bank Morgan Stanley showed only one-third of UK white-collar employees have gone back to work, lagging far behind their European counterparts, where twice as many have done so. A previous e-days survey showed that 1 in 3 UK workers are ‘reluctant to return’ to office spaces at all now that lockdown measures have been eased, and that 63% felt they were more productive working from home anyway.

Work-life balance is key to employee wellbeing and helping avoid potential burnout. Enabling employees to spread their annual leave throughout the year is just one of the ways e-days helps to prevent burnout. e-days also offers direct health & wellbeing advice from the NHS through its NHS Wellbeing Module including how to manage sleep and tiredness.

Steve Arnold, CEO of e-days, commented: “As more staff return to work, companies need to ensure the time employees do spend in the office is as stress-free as possible. This means being aware of what your staff member’s concerns actually are and how you can help address them. We have e-days customers already using the platform to register who is in the office and who is not, to help address concerns around social distancing. Building in more flexibility to where people do their best work, or making sure that those who like to start earlier or finish later are allowed to do so will also help. And with COVID-19 already restricting how employees spend their free time, managing annual leave to ensure a healthy work-life balance has never been more important.”

Flexible Working, HR News, News, Recruitment

Employers are at a pivotal stage in defining the future of work: let’s make it count

With reports suggesting that fewer businesses will return to traditional office environments, leader in talent acquisition and managed workforce solutions, Guidant Global, has welcomed the workforce progression that the coronavirus outbreak has driven, but warns that strategic talent plans need to be reviewed before rushing back to work.

A recent analysis by the Financial Times revealed varying viewpoints of how the ‘new’ workplace will look post-Covid-19, with one key theme tying the opinions together: it won’t be the same. According to Guidant Global, while returning to work will look different for every business, all firms planning for the ‘new normal’ need to take a truly strategic approach to their workforce planning and avoid jumping in at the deep end if they are to future-proof their company. This includes re-evaluating the split between permanent and contingent resources and re-jigging messages to appeal to the new make up of the workforce.

Brian Salkowski, COO at Guidant Global explained:

“It would be naïve of us all to think that we can return to the office in the format that we’ve long become used to. The world of work as we know it has changed quite drastically this year and, in turn, we’ve seen a shift in talent demands. People want more flexibility in their job and the growth in gig workers has arguably accelerated as individuals find themselves out of employment at a time when competition for permanent roles is high. Many employers have discovered new working models that are beneficial for their business and are thinking about their resources in a more modern way.”

“However, while this is an applaudable progression for workplaces, we’re at a pivotal point now where organisations are beginning to get staff back to the office, bring people off furlough and hire to fill resourcing gaps that have emerged during the crisis. But this is a delicate process and it’s important that employers avoiding shoe-horning people back into old ways of working as they simply don’t exist. Instead, now is the time to step-back and review workforce plans to make them suitable for the more agile and fluid future that we’re facing.”

AI, Business Investment, Midlands News, News, Technology

LLamasoft Opens New EMEA Headquarters to Support Continued Growth

LLamasoft, the leading provider of AI-enabled enterprise supply chain design and decision-making solutions, has announced that the official opening of its new EMEA headquarters in Birmingham took place on Tuesday 26th November.

Guest of Honour, Lord Digby Jones, a non-aligned Peer in the UK House of Lords, international businessman, media commentator, TV presenter, author and public speaker addressed the attendees.

A Birmingham-born former Minister of State for UK Trade & Investment, former Corporate Ambassador to Jaguar Cars and current non-executive Chairman of Triumph Motorcycles, Lord Jones is a renowned business advocate who speaks around the world on all aspects of global trade including the wider political and societal scene.

“With the current political and economic challenges facing organisations in the UK and Europe, it is refreshing to see technology companies like LLamasoft not only investing in the region but providing innovative solutions that will help UK and European companies across multiple industries make smarter decisions in a climate of unprecedented business complexity, volatility and uncertainty,” said Lord Jones.

Located at Pegasus House on Solihull Business Park, Birmingham, LLamasoft’s new 11,000 sq ft headquarters provides purpose-designed facilities for both employees and customers and reflects the company’s continued focus on growth, customer centricity and innovation.

This investment allows LLamasoft to better service its customers in the EMEA region in leveraging advanced analytics, optimisation and machine learning to make better, faster business decisions.

In the context of continued political uncertainty, including Brexit, LLamasoft’s powerful technology platform is helping major enterprises worldwide to model alternative scenarios to exploit opportunities and mitigate risks associated with trade wars and changes in taxes and tariffs, as highlighted in a recent BBC interview with LLamasoft’s CEO, Razat Gaurav.

This capability is augmented by LLamasoft’s recently announced acquisition of Opex Analytics, a Chicago-based provider of artificial intelligence (AI) solutions, further accelerating LLamasoft’s strategy to transform the future of enterprise decision making.

LLamasoft, which recently reported 30 percent subscription revenue growth for the first half of 2019, has made a significant investment in the design and fit-out of the new offices, which include a state-of-the-art customer experience centre as well as a dedicated training facility, with ability to deliver remote training to staff, customers and partners around the world.

“As more organisations seek to leverage data and advanced algorithms to make better business decisions, LLamasoft is seeing continued strong momentum in all regions and is on track to grow its global employee count by more than 20 percent in 2020,” said Slimane Allab, EMEA General Manager and SVP of LLamasoft.

“Designed specifically to support our goals and those of our customers in the EMEA region, the new location provides the perfect environment in which to bring together our people, technology and customers to drive continued innovation and success. We are delighted that Lord Jones was able to join us to mark this momentous occasion.”

For more information, please visit: www.llamasoft.com