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Almost half (45%) of UK employees were left frustrated with laptops and hardware not functioning properly while working from home during the Covid-19 pandemic, with more than a third (35%) of workers experiencing difficulties while transitioning from work to home to hybrid due to technological problems, according to new research from managed workplace services (MWS) provider, Apogee Corporation.
The study of over 2,000 office workers reveals doubts about the current readiness of technology to support the flexible workspaces of the future.
Nearly one in five (19%) employees did not know who to ask about IT issues, while 14% found their IT department unreliable while working from home. As hybrid working rapidly emerges as the working model of the future, such reports of inconsistent support at home versus in the office will be of particular concern to businesses.
When asked how their company’s IT solutions could improve, 25% of respondents wanted a more responsive IT team, while 24% expressed a wish for better facilities and more advanced hardware. Apogee also found that 87% of employees aged 16-24 would make changes to their company’s IT – far above the 55+ age group, of whom only 46% expressed a desire for change. The younger generation’s wish for more quicker updates to software and improved sustainability highlights the need for organisations to make changes today to prepare for tomorrow’s workforce.
Aurelio Maruggi, CEO of Apogee, said: “Workplace technology must be built to adapt to the changing working environment, yet our study shows that many companies don’t have the necessary solutions or teams in place to meet employee demands. A new generation of tech-savvy workers will expect more from their employers, and businesses must be ready to deliver these changes.”
The study also revealed the costly impact of workplace IT problems and the resulting downtime. During the pandemic, UK workers lost an average of 85 hours to faulty technology and a lack of IT support while working from home. The resulting loss of worktime is estimated to have cost UK businesses £115 million each week.
“Businesses cannot afford to keep losing money with downtime and poor solutions”, Maruggi continued. “As hybrid working models continue to define the future of work, organisations should outsource their workplace service supplier to ensure the coming months and years are productive and profitable.”
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