How to conduct a meeting out of the office December 6, 2018 The dreaded conference call… Remember heading to the meeting room and crowding around the speakerphone in the middle of the table? The robotic automated voice telling you that someone is about to join the call? There was nothing quite like the embarrassment of forgetting to press “mute” before saying something about the boss, or suddenly [...]
How co-working spaces will transform the office environment December 5, 2018 Four years ago, the right to request flexible working became UK law. Since then, flexible working has become more prevalent, to the point that half of the UK workforce is predicted to work remotely by 2020. At the same time a growing number of businesses are embracing the gig economy and turning to freelance workers [...]
AI could be the answer to the four-day week December 4, 2018 Britons are under more pressure at work now than at any other time in the past 25 years. Leaders from the TUC to the shadow chancellor are calling on a four-day working week as the answer. While some businesses have welcomed the idea with open arms, many are still fearful of the impact of reduced [...]
Support your local small business all year, otherwise it might not stick around December 3, 2018 American Express’s Small Business Saturday last weekend saw a call to arms to encourage us to shop locally and support small businesses. Since its launch in 2010, this annual event now reaches millions of people across the US, UK and Australia, helping independent retailers get their share of the Christmas spending frenzy. Small Business Saturday [...]
Data literacy is a win-win for businesses and employees December 3, 2018 As the Fourth Industrial Revolution accelerates, in which data and automation are pervasive elements, debates around the impact these technologies will have on our working lives are widespread across the media, academic circles and the government. However, nowhere have these changes sparked more action than in the business world. With uncertainty around Brexit and the [...]
AI means more jobs, not less November 30, 2018 The future of work is at the heart of every major socio-economic-political debate. In fact, reports from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) suggest that robots are set to replace 66m jobs in the coming years. All these discussions are rooted in the topic of the nature and distribution of work. Many are excited and [...]
Wake up to AI Cyber Defence November 29, 2018 From self-adjusting thermostats and email spam filters, to Netflix’s recommendation algorithms and Alexa virtual assistants, AI (artificial intelligence) is fast emerging out of its infancy, and the only way is up. Due to a recent wave of tech innovations, our day-to-day lives are now looking to be enhanced even further by AI. A typical automated [...]
Could you be offered your next job by a robot? November 29, 2018 There has been much talk about machines taking jobs, yet research shows that most employers expect overall headcount to increase as a result of automation. Across multiple sectors, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is helping organisations to eliminate low-level, repetitive tasks, freeing up humans’ time to focus on delivering more strategic, premium services. The recruitment industry is [...]
Kiss goodbye to the 9 to 5 November 29, 2018 More people than ever are moving away from the 9 to 5 in favour of jobs that allow flexible working. According to conference call firm Powwownow, 75 per cent of UK employees would rather take a job that gives them the option to choose their own work schedule. This is a staggering 70 per cent [...]
Yours for £4m: A piece of literary history goes up for sale as writer’s London home hits market November 25, 2018 THE HOUSE where William Makepeace Thackeray wrote Vanity Fair could be yours for around £4.5m as the iconic late-17th century building goes up for sale. Grade II-listed 16 Young Street, in the heart of Kensington, is currently home to both offices and Richmond University’s Kensington campus. It was once inhabited by 19th-century author William Makepeace [...]