HRreview Header

UK workers unprepared for home working

-

Remote employees say they do not have the right tools and software to complete their tasks to their usual standard. 

A survey from software solutions provider Intact also found 51 percent say there is a technology knowledge gap within their company.

Worryingly, 42 percent said they had not been given any training on how to properly use communications tools within their company while 27 percent do not think their firm’s communications tools are fit for purpose.

However, most employees do feel they have the tools to do their job, but say that if the tools worked better, it would make their work easier, particularly in a remote setting.

IT leaders prefer it at home

Meanwhile, the remote access provider Splashtop found 34 percent of IT leaders feel less stressed at work because of home working. 

Two fifths (42%) of IT decision makers even say their job is more enjoyable because of flexible technologies in place that ease their stress.

The firm says due to remote access technologies, productivity has increased and IT leaders feel their colleagues trust them more since working from home.

IT workers in the survey predicted that flexible working would make their roles more complex because of varying work patterns and 82 percent said they were working longer hours as a result of this.

There are also concerns around creating a company culture with home-working as Intact found that 49 percent of employees talk to their colleagues less than once a day, and only 14 percent said they looked at communications platforms during the day.

This ties in with O.C. Tanner’s 2022 Global Culture Report, which found home workers are lonely and find it tough to maintain connections in a remote setting.

Robert Ordever, Managing Director of workplace culture at O.C. Tanner said: “Workers experiencing periods of loneliness is nothing new, however lockdowns and remote working have made matters worse, intensifying feelings of isolation.”

His advice to businesses is to create opportunities for staff to build relationships with colleagues: “Facilitating networking and social interactions must become a priority, with leaders building closer relationships with their employees. They must also encourage employees to collaborate and get together socially, both in-person and remotely.”

 

Latest news

James Rowell: The human side of expenses – what employee behaviour reveals about modern work

If you want to understand how your people really work, look at their expenses. Not just the total sums, but the patterns.

Skills overhaul needed as 40% of job capabilities set to change by 2030

Forecasts suggest 40 percent of workplace skills could change by 2030, prompting calls for UK employers to prioritise adaptability.

Noisy and stuffy offices linked to lost productivity and retention concerns

UK employers are losing more than 330 million working hours each year due to office noise, poor air quality and inadequate workplace conditions.

Turning Workforce Data into Real Insight: A practical session for HR leaders

HR teams are being asked to deliver greater impact with fewer resources. This practical session is designed to help you move beyond instinct and start using workforce data to make faster, smarter decisions that drive real business results.
- Advertisement -

Bethany Cann of Specsavers

A working day balancing early talent strategy, university partnerships and family life at the international opticians retailer.

Workplace silence leaving staff afraid to raise mistakes

Almost half of UK workers feel unable to raise concerns or mistakes at work, with new research warning that workplace silence is damaging productivity.

Must read

Deborah Lewis: ‘Business is Broken’

If you want to be really depressed about business...

Ten top tips to make email work in the modern workplace

Email is not dead, it just needs to be updated to fit our workplace needs too. Alyssa Bantle from Crown World Mobility.
- Advertisement -

You might also likeRELATED
Recommended to you