The concept of “work from anywhere” has taken on a literal meaning for Generation Z, as a recent survey reveals that nearly half (46%) of them are taking work calls while comfortably nestled in their beds.
This statistic stands in stark contrast to the 17 percent of the average British worker who engage in similar behaviour.
This intriguing data comes from a study conducted by semiconductor company XMOS, shedding light on the unconventional locations where employees choose to participate in work calls.
The research also reveals that 3 percent of respondents admitted to joining virtual meetings from their bathrooms, amounting to a staggering 987,000 British workers.
Despite these surprising confessions, many workers still feel limited in terms of where they can work from.
What about more diverse locations?
About a quarter (24%) of respondents expressed their desire to participate in calls from more diverse locations, but they feel that existing technology constraints prevent them from doing so. This sentiment is even stronger among the younger demographic, with 35 percent of 16-24-year-olds wishing for more flexibility in their work locations.
Furthermore, a concerning one in ten (13%) respondents reported encountering daily issues with their remote working setups, with this figure climbing to 28 percent among younger employees. Frustration with technology performance is palpable, as 44 percent of respondents find it annoying that their conferencing tools don’t “just work.” A significant 11 percent have stopped using virtual conferencing tools altogether, and 9 percent have even vented their anger by damaging equipment.
Is it acceptable?
Aneet Chopra, EVP Marketing and Product Management at XMOS, commented on the findings, saying “In a world where remote working is now an expectation, people should be able to make calls from wherever they want – within reason! Unfortunately, while the desire for more flexibility is there, conferencing technology cannot support this demand. And it’s causing significant frustrations.”
Chopra continued, “The fact that about 20 percent of people are turning their backs on or even breaking tools due to anger over poor performance should be a real worry for manufacturers. Especially when there are credible technologies available, delivering a solution to the problem.”
XMOS believes that the solution to these audio-related challenges lies in providing manufacturers, engineers, and designers with the components necessary to incorporate high-quality audio into their conferencing applications without compromising performance or time-to-market. The XVF3800 four-microphone voice processor has been specifically designed for this purpose and excels in applications such as speakerphones, video bars, and conferencing devices.
For more information about how XMOS is addressing these audio-based user frustrations and empowering the modern workforce through conferencing technology, you can explore the company’s “Remote Possibilities” research report by visiting their website at https://www.xmos.ai/remote-possibilities-conferencing-report/.
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.