Barclays the latest to harden line on office attendance rules January 30, 2025 Barclays has become the latest blue chip firm to tighten its office attendance policy, asking staff to attend the office a minimum of three days a week. The British-headquartered lender unveiled a more stringent approach to hybrid working in a memo to staff earlier this week, which cut the minimum number of days staff can [...]
Workspace: London office provider struggles with customer churn January 23, 2025 Workspace’s problem with customer churn has continued to hit the London-focused firm, with occupancy in its rented offices reducing by 1.3 per cent during last quarter to 86.1 per cent. The flexible office provider completed 273 new lettings over the last quarter, for a total rental value of £6m, it said in a trading update [...]
Back to the office helps City of London’s tallest tower to full capacity January 20, 2025 The City’s tallest tower, 22 Bishopsgate, has been fully let after four years as the financial district continues to prove its ability to command premiums for best-in-class sustainable spaces. There’s little sign of the gloom pervading other areas of the commercial office sector in the City, with rents at 22 Bishopsgate the highest ever achieved [...]
Civil servants to take indefinite industrial action after being ordered back to office January 8, 2025 Indefinite industrial action is to be taken by thousands of civil servants working at the Land Registry in a dispute over office attendance. Around 4,000 members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) based in 14 offices across England and Wales will take part in the action from 21 January. The union said its [...]
That video call could have been an email: After four years, are Brits sick of WFH? December 23, 2024 There is a brilliant novelty about working from home. Household amenities are always within reach, transport fares are reduced to the difficulty of moving from your bed to the desk, and no one steals your food from the fridge. But, after more than four years, has it become a nuisance? Around 40 per cent of [...]
Workspace: London flexible office firm’s profit up despite low occupancy rates November 22, 2024 Flexible office provider Workspace has continued to see an uptick in demand for lettings despite a slight downturn in occupancy rates. The business, which manages millions of square feet of office space across London, saw a 4.3 per cent boost in underlying rental income, bringing it to a total of £60.2m. In line with “good customer [...]
Bosses believe WFH will come to an end – wishful thinking? November 13, 2024 Given the City of London is a major destination for commuters (especially those working in professional services) the new rhythm of hybrid working is perhaps more visible in the Square Mile than elsewhere. Generally speaking, Mondays seem a little thin while Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays feel busier than ever. Fridays remain somewhat subdued. On the [...]
Asda cuts jobs and demands three-days-a-week return to office November 6, 2024 Asda has announced job cuts and asked its staff to return to the office three days a week in the latest move in its turnaround plan. In an internal email on 5 November, the grocer said it was changing its office attendance policy at its George House site in Leicester as well as its Asda [...]
IWG buoyed by workers returning to the office November 5, 2024 Hybrid workspace platform International Workplace Group (IWG) has reported an uptick in revenue boosted by strong growth in its managed and franchised properties. Revenue grew by two per cent in the three months to 30 September, 2024, on a year-on-year constant currency basis, the company told markets this morning. The firm grew revenue at its managed and [...]
Santander cracks down on hybrid working as return to office trend grows September 8, 2024 Santander has cracked down on its approach to hybrid working in what is seen as yet another sign that companies are beginning to favour more in-office working patterns.