A recent survey by Lucid Software has revealed that UK firms are grappling with the effective implementation of hybrid work models.
Despite the widespread adoption of hybrid work over the past four years, 54 percent of organisations report difficulties in balancing employee productivity, and 47 percent face resistance to change.
The survey highlights the critical need for businesses to equip their staff with the right tools and processes to facilitate effective collaboration. However, only 38 percent of UK businesses have implemented digital collaboration tools, and a mere 29 percent provide collaboration training to employees. As a result, 20 percent of workers are considering leaving their jobs due to dissatisfaction with their company’s hybrid work policy.
The Impact of Four Years of Hybrid Workplace Whiplash
UK firms are still experiencing significant challenges with hybrid work, even after four years. For example, 27 percent of employees report that brainstorming sessions and project kick-offs fail to clearly outline next steps, while 37 percent feel that task ownership within teams is unclear. Alarmingly, over two-fifths (41%) of employees state that some projects do not meet their objectives due to these issues.
Despite the importance of visual tools for collaboration, only 27 percent of workers are provided with a visualisation tool, and just 30 percent have access to whiteboarding applications. This lack of essential tools is a major obstacle to effective hybrid work.
Setting Employees Up for Success
With global IT spending projected to grow by 6.8 percent this year, it is crucial for companies to invest wisely in technology that employees will actually use. There is a strong desire among business leaders to invest in productivity-boosting technology, but this often results in employees being stretched thin across multiple applications.
The survey found that 38 percent of entry-level workers use between three to four productivity applications, with this figure rising to 44 percent for managers and 47 percent for the C-suite. However, only 29 percent of employees receive hybrid collaboration training, creating a significant gap between the technology purchased and its effective use.
This misalignment leads to nearly a quarter (23%) of UK workers believing they lack the necessary applications for success. Many employees report feeling overwhelmed by the number of different productivity tools they are expected to use, with 26 percent of UK knowledge workers feeling extremely or very overwhelmed, and 35 percent experiencing frustration.
Leaders continue to fall short
Commenting on the findings, Jarom Chung, VP of Product Management at Lucid Software, stated, “Despite the fact that companies have been practicing hybrid work for years now, leaders continue to fall short in adequately equipping and training their employees with the essential digital tools and processes needed for success. Organisations need to intentionally evaluate the effectiveness of their tech stack, and focus on enabling their teams to work better together, no matter where they’re located. Specifically, the data demonstrates that effective visual collaboration is not just a luxury but a necessity in hybrid work, empowering employees to streamline vital information, collaborate seamlessly, and maximise their productivity.”
As UK firms continue to navigate the complexities of hybrid work, the findings from the Hybrid Workplace Whiplash survey underscore the importance of investing in the right tools and training to support employee productivity and satisfaction.
Amelia Brand is the Editor for HRreview, and host of the HR in Review podcast series. With a Master’s degree in Legal and Political Theory, her particular interests within HR include employment law, DE&I, and wellbeing within the workplace. Prior to working with HRreview, Amelia was Sub-Editor of a magazine, and Editor of the Environmental Justice Project at University College London, writing and overseeing articles into UCL’s weekly newsletter. Her previous academic work has focused on philosophy, politics and law, with a special focus on how artificial intelligence will feature in the future.
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