UK businesses need to ensure they are ready to accommodate the rise of remote working or be left behind.
This warning comes from Glide, an utilities and communication company. In its report “Remote working: a practical safety guide for businesses”, it states that between 2008 to 2018, remote working increased by 74 per cent.
With 68 per cent saying they would like to work flexibly but it is not “currently available”.
Remote working has been connected to increased wellbeing of employees as well as helping with recruitment and supporting the business. Also, above three-quarters (77 per cent) of employees say that flexibility is important to them.
Problems that may arise with remote working is the risk of the worker feeling isolated, alongside 22 per cent of staff saying they struggle to unplug from work whilst at home promoting an “always-on” culture.
James Warner, managing director of Glide Business said:
Where people once expected to travel to a place of work, clock in and stay there until eight hours later, employees are demanding more freedom. One of the biggest influencing factors has been the emergence of the digital economy.
Traditionally, companies needed a physical presence to do business, but this is no longer a prerequisite, and many now exist solely to provide online services, or make their money from intangible assets, like software.
These changes are making it less essential for employees to be physically present at their place of work in order for their task to be completed, but evolving your business to provide this facility for employees isn’t without its challenges.
It’s crucial that businesses embed a culture that is applicable inside and outside of the physical office, while a secure server, VPN access and a reliable superfast broadband connection are also essential for remote working facilitation.
These stats were taken from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the CIPD.
Darius is the editor of HRreview. He has previously worked as a finance reporter for the Daily Express. He studied his journalism masters at Press Association Training and graduated from the University of York with a degree in History.
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