With the emergence of mobile computing, smartphones, and social media, is the traditional work office in jeopardy?
As companies begin to increase their presence online and ditch their humble desk-phones, it may not be too long until employees leave offices altogether and work on-the-move or at home.
Most likely to be affected are the IT industry – whilst offices were once integral to creating a conducive and effective work environment for IT employees, much of the technology integrated into these offices is now readily-available at home or even using portable devices, such as Google Android smartphones, the iPhone and the iPad.
(more…)
Threadneedle Property Investment has announced plans to partner with Stanhope, an emissions monitoring agency and Carbon Trust, in an attempt to develop environmentally friendly 
office space within the UK.
This new partnership will capitalise on the compulsory eco-deadline of 2019, by offering eco-conversions to businesses that have no choice but to meet the new standards.
And with 90% of existing properties being more than 10 years old there is a lot of potential customers for Threadneedle properties.
(more…)
April 1st is on it’s way and sometimes we have to misbehave… but only sometimes! While we certainly don’t recommend trying them out, here are some hilarious office pranks to cheer your day (just by reading them of course!)
Mouse fail – Block the sensor on a mouse with a post-it note, and watch as your colleagues try and work out for hours what on Earth is wrong with it. Bonus points if they call the IT department! (more…)
Administrator BDO Stoy Hayward have put Waverley Gate in Edinburgh onto the market for sale.
The prestigious office building houses 217,000 sq ft of office space in the Edinburgh city centre and expected to sell for £30 million. The building was a former General Post Office and was refurbished in 2005 by Castlemore, but last year went into administration.
Fashion retail H&M are poised to buy 16,500 sq ft of space for a call centre and Creative Scotland, a cultural agency, are looking to purchase 20,000 sq ft within the building.
In 2008 the building set a record rent when Microsoft took 13,000 sq ft at £31 per square foot.However it did not obtain anymore tenants until the collapse of Castlemore during the financial crisis, when rents were slashed to £15 per square foot at the building. Last month the NHS took 40,000 square foot there.
BDO Stoy Hayward are being represented by CB Richard Ellis and Montagu Evans.
Business-focused social media network LinkedIn is to base its international headquarters in Dublin.
LinkedIn will manage international expansion from the new headquarters, but will still keep the original and main HQ in California. They will give the area a plethora of new jobs, although they are yet to confirm exactly how many new jobs will be created. Kevin Eyres, managing director for LinkedIn Europe believes that Dublin will provide them with great access to a skilled workforce. (more…)
Property consultancy group EC Harris have signed a lease on Three Piccadilly Place in Manchester.
The Piccadilly Place development is owned by the Carlyle Group and developer Argent and totals 675,000 sq ft. Three Piccadilly Place is now 60% filled, other occupiers include NHS North West – who agreed on 55,000 sq ft at the end of last year and the Insolvency Service. (more…)
Commercial property consultancy Lambert Smith Hampton have secured the sale of Barclays Bank Regional Headquarters in Coventry to Invista Real Estate Investment Management.
Lambert Smith acted on behalf of Telereal Trillium when selling the three headquarter office buildings, which are situated on the Westwood Business Park. Westwood is one of the Midland’s premier business parks and is also the home of RICS and the Chartered Institute of Housing. (more…)
Two new office deals have been reported at Matrix Park, Chorley.
Matrix Park business centre is part of a larger scheme in Lancashire known as Buckshaw Village, which is around 400 acres of developments for mixed use by Redrow and Barratt Commercial. The two deals reported are both from media and marketing firms. 3D Marketing Group have taken unit C3, plot 1100 for a three year lease. PR agency The Write Angle have purchased a 2,474 sq ft office with ten car-parking spaces on plot 1200. The purchase prices have not been confirmed for either. (more…)
Dean Property Group have announced plans to turn Century House, St Helens into a business centre.
They plan to aim the serviced office space at small businesses and new firms just starting up for the first time. Director of the Cheshire-based property firm, Mike O’Donnell said, “Our new proposals to provide smaller units for start up businesses will offer greater flexibility in line with their budget requirements and provide entrepreneurs with the opportunity to start their businesses in prime town centre location.” (more…)
We’re all guilty of snacking on too many biscuits during a day working in the office. But maybe there’s a better solution to keep you going between meals at work.
Whilst it might be easy to get your five-a-day at home, being at work with the temptation of biscuits and chocolates from the vending machine often becomes our downfall in healthy eating attempts. So having a lovely inviting bowl of fruit could be the easiest way to help everyone out and even boost productivity in the office! (more…)
