Perhaps it’s clear to see that remote work and virtual meetings are likely to continue, albeit less intensely than at the pandemic’s peak. To paint a better picture of this change, research from McKinsley how work has changed across more than 2,000 tasks used in some 800 occupations in the eight focus countries. Considering only remote work that can be done without a loss of productivity, they found that about 20 to 25 percent of the workforces in advanced economies could work from home between three and five days a week.
This represents four to five times more remote work than before the pandemic and could prompt a large change in the geography of work, as individuals and companies shift out of large cities into suburbs and small cities. They found that some work that technically can be done remotely is best done in person. Negotiations, critical business decisions, brainstorming sessions, providing sensitive feedback, and onboarding new employees are examples of activities that may lose some effectiveness when done remotely.
New research from Virgin Media O2 Business in partnership with Censuswide shows that Brits are using their mobiles to work remotely in more place that you might expect. From car parks to gyms, the list goes on, with over half of Brits citing Microsoft Teams as their number one must-have to help them log on from anywhere.
As hybrid working takes hold, new data from Virgin Media O2 Business shows the rise of the ‘work from roam’ trend, with Brits logging on to work remotely from number of unexpected locations – including car parks, walking the dog and gyms – and nearly one in ten (8%) of Brits reported logging on from the bathroom. With millions embracing hybrid working between the home and the office, Virgin Media O2 (in partnership with Censuswide) reveals the top ten alternate locations Brits are logging on to work remotely. Topping the list was friends and family homes (27%), followed by gardens (24%) and unsurprisingly the school run makes it on the list (8%).
The top 10 “working from roam” spots are as follows:
These results suggest an increasingly flexible working model has created a trend in using tech to create a portable office – moving from working from home to working from ‘roam,’ with on average almost one in four (23%) logging on via their phones on the go. According to the research, virtual meeting apps like Microsoft Teams/Zoom and software apps like Office 365, which allow workers to access documents from anywhere are the tech must-haves for people embracing the ‘work from roam’ trend.
Over a third (35%) of those surveyed reported flexible working improved their mental health, whilst others cited additional time to eat and prepare meals (33%) and the chance to complete housework (31%) and exercise (28%) as significant benefits compared to pre-pandemic life.
Recent research from Virgin Media O2 Business and the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) revealed nearly half of the UK’s 8.6 million part-time employees would increase their working time if their employer would let them work remotely, leading to 1.27 billion more hours worked and a potential boost to GDP by £48bn annually. The Cebr study also revealed employees now expect to work remotely for 2.5 days per week, with company leaders in broad agreement: expecting their employees to work remotely for 2.3 days a week.
Jo Wimble-Groves, Business Director at Active Digital, said: “we know that more people are working remotely and want that to continue. However, we also recognise that while home working has seen an increase in productivity for many, others have struggled with loneliness and that need to be considered. There isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ solution but strategic business leaders will be listening to their teams and using that information to re-shape the future workplace. Things are changing, digital is changing the future of work for all of us. It’s important now to focus on strengthening your employees’ sense of belonging and on the satisfaction, purpose, and pride they feel in doing good work that supports your organisation. It’s not your tools and technology that make your organisation resilient, but instead the way you empower employees to apply their creativity, strategy, and humility.”
Now is the time for organisations to invest in tech – and fast. It’s time for you to see the greater value from digital acceleration and transformation. A digital workplace backed with the right technology from Active Digital can provide a digital, happy workplace that enables the future of work.
Are you ready?
Contact the team here and book an appointment today – https://calendly.com/active_digital
