Latest news with #employeeWellbeing
Wall Street Journal
3 days ago
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
Of Course Workers Want a Four-Day Week. Companies Should Too.
In 2022, I signed on as lead researcher at 4DWG, an international NGO that aims to make a four-day workweek the new standard. Since then, we have studied 245 businesses and nonprofits as they adopted four-day-week pilot programs for more than 8,700 workers, in countries including the U.S., U.K., Brazil, Portugal, Germany and South Africa. For those employees, the results of working one day less every week, with no reduction in pay, have been outstanding: 69% experience reduced burnout, 42% have better mental health, and 37% see improvements in physical health. Thirteen percent of participants say they wouldn't go back to a five-day schedule for any amount of money.
NHK
3 days ago
- Health
- NHK
Concern over work-related deaths among Japanese expats
A Japanese man's death by suicide during an overseas job assignment is focusing attention on the wellbeing of employees sent abroad.
Zawya
3 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Norway's DNV chooses Expo City Dubai for new Dubai office
DUBAI – Norwegian assurance giant DNV has opened new premises at Expo City Dubai, unveiling a state-of-the-art, people-first office focused on employee wellbeing, reinforcing the city's rise as a hub for innovative, sustainability-minded enterprises. Designed for 200-plus employees with wellness and community at its core, DNV's new space in Expo City Dubai spans approximately 24,000 sqft and features recharge rooms, walking pads and a zen garden. With parks and green spaces spread throughout the pedestrian-friendly city, the location is tailored for connection, creativity and collaboration. The global leader in business assurance, risk management and advisory services, DNV sets industry benchmarks through testing, certification and cutting-edge digital solutions – including cybersecurity and data platforms. Its new Dubai office, strategically located between Jebel Ali Port and Al Maktoum International Airport, with easy access to Dubai International Airport, strengthens its expanding regional maritime and energy operations. Bror Berge, Country Chair, DNV, said: 'At DNV, we prioritise people and the environment, which is why Expo City Dubai, with its future-focused infrastructure, sustainability ethos and like-minded business community, is a natural fit. Our new office blends smart design, movement-friendly features and energy-efficient systems to inspire fresh thinking and boost positivity, creativity and connection – all while meeting the highest standards in green buildings and occupant health.' Manal AlBayat, Chief Engagement Officer, Expo City Dubai, said: 'DNV's decision to relocate to Expo City Dubai reflects our shared commitment to employee wellbeing, innovation and meaningful impact – and we're proud to welcome them to our expanding international community. With 41 buildings certified under the WELL Health-Safety Rating, Expo City Dubai is committed to putting employee health and happiness at the core of its operations.' Expo City Dubai has quickly become one of the region's most sought-after business destinations, with the number of commercial tenants doubling in the past year alone. Around 75 per cent of businesses now operating at Expo City come from outside the UAE – underscoring its growing reputation as a global hub for forward-thinking enterprises. The city is built for the industries of tomorrow, with a world-class free zone offering more than 2,000 licensing activities, 100 per cent foreign ownership and tax benefits as well as Grade A, LEED-certified buildings. Pre-certified under the WELL Community Standard, it is already home to global brands such as DP World, Siemens and Emirates' Ebdaa innovation hub, with Nestlé, the world's largest food and beverage company, opening its Middle East and North Africa head office in the coming months. A destination for globally significant events, Expo City was home to the COP28 climate conference and is also hosting the Asia Pacific Cities Summit and Mayors' Forum in October 2025. The inauguration of the DNV premises was marked by a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by His Excellency Olav Myklebust, Ambassador of Norway to the UAE; Kjetil Ebbesberg, DNV Group CFO; Andreas Fischer, Global Director of Real Estate Management and Procurement; and senior representatives from Expo City Dubai, including Manal AlBayat and Najeeb Al Ali, Executive Director, Expo City Dubai Authority. About Expo City Dubai Expo City Dubai, the legacy city of Expo 2020 Dubai, is an innovation-driven, people-centric community rooted in the belief that collaboration can propel sustainable progress. Its prime location and world-class connectivity place it at the centre of Dubai's future – the lynchpin between Dubai Exhibition Centre, Al Maktoum International Airport and Jebel Ali Port and a key driver of Dubai's Economic Agenda (D33) A world-class free zone, it is home to a thriving business community that supports cross-sector collaboration and provides a springboard for businesses of all sizes to scale and grow, enhancing Dubai's position as a global centre of trade and reinforcing the UAE's development and diversification ambitions Its residential communities redefine urban living, exemplifying best practice in innovative, environment-friendly design with a focus on wellbeing and happiness An incubator for innovation, it is a testbed for solutions and a platform for groundbreaking ideas that benefit both people and the planet Packed with educational, cultural and entertainment offerings, with more than 30 indoor and outdoor venues attracting globally significant events, it celebrates human creativity and ingenuity and inspires future generations Designed as a blueprint for sustainable urban living and one of five hubs on the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, its roadmap to achieving net zero by 2050 and its broader decarbonisation targets raise the bar on responsible urban development For media enquiries, please contact
Forbes
4 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Fireproof Your Organization: Turn Down The Heat On Urgency Culture
There's a Maxell cassette tape commercial from the 80s where a man's hair is blown back by the power of the playback. That vision comes to mind when I think about the work experience so many people are having today. Except it's not a cassette tape causing our hair to stand on end. It's one emergency after another. Urgency culture is a term used to describe the pervasiveness of the ASAP, 'I need this yesterday' mindset in the modern workplace. Once we had the tools to reply instantly, the expectation that we would soon followed. Now, employees feel constantly under pressure to work at a fast and furious pace despite the well-documented negative consequences. An urgency culture often leads to: Fortunately, leaders can fireproof their teams by taking a few simple actions: One of the leaders I admire most made it a point to publicly and proudly leave the office at 4pm every day. She would work on the commuter train on the way home, but she never displayed any shame for setting a healthy boundary around her departure time. Leadership behavior sets the tone. By providing a few points of additional guidance with a 'quick question,' you can spare your team the frantic activity that accompanies unclear requests. Including language such as 'back of the envelope' or 'don't spend more than 20 minutes on this' helps your team calibrate what you're asking of them. There's nothing worse than finding out after the fact that you destroyed someone's weekend by asking what you thought was a simple question. It's easy to think that 'the team knows what the priorities are' after they have been shared once or twice. But the reality is that there's often a big gap between goals on paper and how people spend their time and energy. Help them focus on what matters by communicating it frequently. For example, 'Our only priority right now is clearing the backlog of customer issues. If it's not directly addressing a customer concern, put it on hold for now.' Leadership is a stressful job, but unfortunately, emotions are contagious. When you are able to keep a cool head under pressure, it helps your team do the same. Before responding to an urgent demand from above, take a deep breath, and try and understand their reasoning. If it is truly urgent, negotiate the trade-offs on other priorities that may be required to deliver on it. If you need to loop in your team, make sure to tell them why it is urgent and how they can also prioritize in order to help get it done. Everything is a fire drill, whether it needs to be or not. Helping your team slow down will improve their thinking, their experience, and ultimately, their outcomes.
Fast Company
5 days ago
- Business
- Fast Company
The return-to-office mandate is here. So is the open office. One has to go.
It's official: The era of remote work flexibility is over. From Fortune 100 companies to federal agencies, employees are being summoned back to office towers and cubicles under sweeping return-to-work (RTO) mandates. According to a January 2025 survey by Resume Builder, nine in ten companies will require workers back in the office by the end of the year, with 30% already enforcing full five-day, in-office schedules. The problem? We've failed to consider what employees lose when they leave their home workspaces behind. The office doesn't just move—it takes away employees' control over their environment. At home, employees discovered something revolutionary: control. They could adjust the lighting. Lower the noise. Choose their chair, temperature, background music, and even the scent of their workspace. For the first time, people could truly customize their environment to optimize their productivity. And it worked. Studies show employees working from home report lower stress, better focus, and higher productivity. But when they return to standardized open layouts complete with bright overhead lights, echoing voices, and a one-size-fits-all desk, they don't just lose flexibility; they lose the ability to perform at their best. For neurodiverse individuals, the consequences are even more acute. People with sensory sensitivities and learning differences such as ADHD, autism, anxiety, and dyslexia may find traditional offices overwhelming, disorienting, even paralyzing. In fact, 40% of neurodiverse individuals remain unemployed, often because the workspace itself is the barrier. A few years ago, I walked into a client's office and saw rows of open desks, bright overhead lighting, people chatting all around, and I instantly thought, 'There's no way I could work here.' As someone with dyslexia and ADHD, these environments have always been a challenge. I used to spend hours trying to find quiet corners, using noise-canceling headphones just to focus, or even working odd hours at home where I could control my space. That was a lightbulb moment for me: The modern office isn't designed for everyone—and certainly not for people like me. We talk a lot about square footage, seating charts, and collaboration spaces, but rarely do we talk about airflow, acoustics, texture, or privacy control. Yet these are the levers that most directly affect how people feel and perform at work. And research backs this up: Biophilic design —the integration of natural elements like plants, wood textures, and natural light— reduces stress by 30% and boosts cognitive function by 15%. Adjustable lighting and noise levels help people maintain focus, especially those with sensory sensitivities. Personalized workspaces help employees stay more engaged, more productive, and twice as likely to stay with their employer. These aren't luxury features. They are performance infrastructure that unlock human potential. IF YOU WANT A PEACEFUL AND EFFICIENT TRANSITION BACK TO OFFICE, GIVE EMPLOYEES CONTROL Return-to-office doesn't have to be a loss. It can be a gain. But only if we rethink how the office functions. It's time to move away from rigid, standardized layouts and instead design environments that adapt to the employee—not the other way around. That means letting go of the idea that more desks equals more work, or that open layouts naturally lead to collaboration. In reality, employees need environments that help them stay focused, manage stress, and feel comfortable being themselves. We've spent the last five years learning what people need to be productive. They need flexibility, sensory awareness, and control over their space. Ignoring those lessons now won't bring back the old office culture—it will just breed resentment and churn. Let's stop asking workers to leave their best work conditions behind. Instead, let's meet them halfway with offices that reflect what we've learned: Control is not a perk—it's a prerequisite for performance. As we usher in a new era of work, let's not default to old environments. Let's create spaces where everyone—not just the neurotypical, not just the extroverts—can thrive. Because when we design for the extreme, we uplift the mean.
