Workspan Daily |
Most UK Employers Succeeding in Supporting Remote Workers
After several months of working from home, most United Kingdom employees feel their employer has done a good job supporting them.
This is according to research by Unipos, which found that 69% of the UK employees surveyed have felt supported when teleworking. The survey of 300 UK employees and managers also delved into employee experience, noting that 30% felt remote social events helped increase engagement and well-being.
While UK workers miss some aspects of working in the office such as informal chats (70%), sharing ideas (45%), face-to-face meetings (43%) and social events (34%), a large portion (79%) said not having to commute was a huge benefit of working from home. Additionally, two-thirds (66%) said they enjoy having greater flexibility, and 53% said they appreciate having more family time while working remotely.
Despite the positives, a quarter (25%) of respondents admit that their productivity has fallen since working from home, while 47% cite lack of communication as an issue.
“The 2020 experiment with mass remote working has made many companies and employees realize that it is possible to operate without a central office and that the flexibility it brings can be a huge positive,” said Takashi Sato, managing director at Unipos.“However, the dangers of isolation are clear. Positive collaboration, recognition and increased communication are crucial if businesses are to protect staff well-being and company productivity.”
Managers surveyed said they have increased communication and recognition to keep their remote teams motivated and engaged. Having regular calls and video meetings with their team (69%) and providing positive feedback (62%) are two common measures taken by managers.
Additionally, 48% of employees found it encouraging to hear, “we’re all in this together” from their employers.
