Dr Annette Clancy explains why the granting or withholding of control over employees’ working conditions has a knock-on effect on their physical and mental wellbeing. Do you go to work in an office? Or, perhaps you sit behind a desk in a large space divided up into cubicles. Do you have a large desk or a small… Read More Office design: why customisation is key
Here’s how you can tune out relentless distractions and do your best work. By Jessica Hubbard The Hungarian American psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi identified the psychological state of “flow” in 1975 — describing a state of deep immersion in a single activity or task. In this state, external “noise” is naturally muted. Research by McKinsey has shown that when… Read More Four steps to developing superhuman focus
By Luke O’Neill When work bleeds into life and leisure, telltale signs of burnout can appear: exhaustion, disillusionment, and apathy. In a world where devices and software hook everybody into busy connectedness, where emails never stop arriving, and work can be done just about anywhere, burnout is a global problem. Of about 2,800 senior managers… Read More Five ways to beat burnout
Knowing your customer is more important than ever in anti-money laundering regulations. It could also be good for business. By Penny Pryor As the Australian accounting profession awaits the inevitable introduction of Phase 2 anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing legislation (known as Tranche 2 in Australia) – which will increase accountants’ data capture and reporting… Read More The bright side of anti-money laundering rules
The development of virtual banks has pushed Hong Kong into a new era of financial innovation. A panel of industry experts discuss the potential costs and benefits at the Institute’s annual PAIB Conference. Anthony Chan reports. In May, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) prompted headlines like “A new era of smart banking in Hong… Read More Banking on innovation
Kate van der Merwe explains why businesses must incorporate sustainability in all financial decision-making processes in order to remain relevant. Ray Anderson, the founder of Interface, once said: “I always make the business case for sustainability. It’s so compelling. Our costs are down, not up. Our products are the best they have ever been. Our people… Read More The business case for sustainability