Though evidence suggests that the terrible weather conditions we’ve been facing in the UK lately could be costing businesses billions of pounds in lost productivity each year, organisations are still failing to offer their employees solutions that could eradicate those problems for good. When snowfall and heating problems threaten to reduce productivity within a workplace, or potentially stop employees from coming to work at all, remote working could save companies huge amounts of money, but 8×8 found that 37% of office workers still haven’t had the chance to enjoy mobile working solutions.
According to research from the CEBR, when minimum temperatures are just one degree lower than average, quarterly GDP suffers from a £2.5 billion drop. These are statistics on cold weather that simply can’t be ignored.
The Problem with Working in Adverse Conditions
One of the biggest problems that companies face during cold snaps, is lost productivity, but additional problems include staff availability and transport links. Yet, despite the evidence that bad weather is damaging our economy, today’s research reveals that almost four in every ten office workers cannot work from home. On top of that, more than six in ten workers don’t feel comfortable requesting remote working conditions even when they’re available!
Studies indicate that businesses aren’t just facing losses in productivity when they prevent remote working – they’re also risking alienating their staff members too. After all, when employees are told that they have to travel into work, face delays with transportation services, and continue to perform through freezing temperatures, over one in ten report feelings of resentment towards management. Ultimately, the top five reactions to working in adverse conditions include:
- Anger or annoyance at being late (55%)
- Irritation (45%)
- Exhaustion (24%)
- Less productivity (24%)
- Resentment (13%)
Remote Working Offers a Host of Benefits
On the other hand, businesses that feel comfortable trusting their employees to work from remote locations see a range of fantastic advantages, with over 80% of their office workers saying that they feel more loyal to their employer simply because they have flexible working opportunities available to them. More than half of workers surveyed also suggest that they work more productively because they can access remote working solutions, and feel altogether less stressed too!
According to 8×8, remote working leads to improvements in:
- Work/life balance (60%)
- Productivity (52%)
- Stress management (51%)
- Energy Levels (46%)
- Focus (27%)
As the technology required for remote working becomes more innovative and robust, it makes sense that we should begin to see more solutions for remote working offered by companies across the UK, and indeed the globe. After all, it seems that remote working seems to inspire more productive and loyal staff, alongside employees that feel happier in their job.
Cloud-based technology means that workers can collaborate with other members of a team regardless of where they’re located – which could be the perfect solution for businesses that want to avoid productivity losses during the most severe weather conditions.
