Research from Telligent UK finds, despite employee demand, just 21% of workplaces provide these tools

Survey results released today from Telligent,find that 74% of UK employees say a social collaboration platform would be valuable for using in workplace communications; yet 79% of workplaces do not provide such tools, based on a survey of 1,000 UK employees, conducted by Redshift Research. The survey found that 62% of employees report regularly working with team members remotely or in different locations.

Today’s availability of wireless Internet and Internet-enabled mobile devices has helped transform people’s work lives into a new, dynamic, 24/7, ‘work anywhere’ culture. Furthermore, the sporting events set to take place in London this summer are set to impact more than half (52%) of UK employees’ working lives, with 57% stating that they will be working remotely this summer.

Consequently, remote working is a factor that many businesses will undoubtedly have to consider when faced with the transportation challenges this summer. Two in three employees (66%) say that social collaboration tools will be especially useful to job performance this summer. Ensuring that employees can communicate successfully both inside of the office, and while working remotely, is an important factor that will be made all the more imperative in light of the effect that summer’s London sporting events will have on the workforce. It is crucial that employers prepare for the oncoming virtual office revolution by delivering social collaboration solutions that adhere to corporate security policies while offering employees the tools with which they are familiar.

“As the modern workplace evolves to become a more virtual space, it’s unsurprising that the ways in which people communicate and collaborate with their work colleagues is evolving. However, the key here is for employers to take note and meet employee needs to ensure they are able to stay productive,” stated Steve Poncini, General Manager, International Business with Telligent. “With remote working more prevalent, and more people using social networks to communicate than ever before, today’s workplaces must adapt their internal solutions accordingly, or risk being left behind in the information age, missing opportunities for revenue due to inefficient productivity solutions.

Poncini continued, “The summer of sport is going to put UK employers to the ultimate test, with London seeing its most intense traffic challenge in recent decades – employers need to put the right tools in place to keep London working.”