As the UK enters lockdown 2.0, debate continues to rage about whether working from home is as productive and efficient as working in the office. RingCentral, a leading provider of cloud communication and collaboration solutions, has researched to discover the true impact of the work anywhere landscape. According to the Connected Culture report into 1000 UK office workers, the success of working from home depends on culture.
Employees working for brands with a “connected culture” are more than twice as likely (34% compared to 15%) to be productive working from anywhere. The study says that companies with a connected culture use technology to help teams remain connected and ensure that people can interact with each other.
According to RingCentral Country Manager for UK and Ireland, Steve Rafferty, the debate regarding the productivity of homeworkers has been significant this year. However, the results of this study show that employee productivity is dependent on how connected the company culture is.
The Shift to the New Era of Work
Unfortunately, companies unprepared for remote working, and unable to adapt will suffer in the new working landscape. As remote opportunities continue, companies need to embrace the change and make the move to digital. The report from RingCentral also reveals a number of changes coming from the sudden shift to remote work.
For instance, men in the UK are responding to remote work better than women. Men report happiness levels of 43%, compared to 36% for women. Men also have higher motivation levels (44% vs 32%). The reason for this may have something to do with the working space people have at home. Almost half of all UK male respondents said they had a dedicated office space with a closed door. Just over a third of women had the same environment.
People under the age of 25 also have an unfair disadvantage. Almost half of people under the age of 25 would prefer to work from the office after the pandemic. This is a stark contrast to Generation X respondents, where 40% would prefer to work from home, and less than a third want to return to the office. Fear, and loneliness seem to be the issues pushing Gen Z back to the workspace.
60% cited lack of human connection as the biggest problem with working remotely. 32% also said home working long-term might lead to less career advancement.
Leveling the Playing Field
Many UK businesses during the pandemic have been using a hybrid approach to work. Employees have been able to split their time between the office and home when out of lockdown. However, only 23% of people in the report showed interest in working this way after the pandemic.
According to President and COO of RingCentral, Anand Eswaran, the results of the study show concrete steps businesses can take towards building a connected culture. RingCentral believes in the power of connecting people, and this report highlights how valuable that is in this difficult time.
