UK employees happy to remote work as long as necessary

More than half of UK workers are happy to continue working from home as long as it is required in order to combat COVID-19.

This research comes from Moneypenny, an outsourced communications provider, who found that 52 per cent of UK employees are happy to work from home as long as it is required.

This is despite over a third (37 per cent) feeling pressure from remote working and 6 per cent admitting to struggling to adapt to this new form of work.

Only 6 per cent of those working from home state they have a lie-in and get up 15 minutes before work starts.

Under half (42 per cent) get up about one hour before work starts, with 17 per cent getting up 30 minutes before the working day starts.

More than a quarter (28 per cent) say they take shorter lunch breaks and 11 per cent said they take longer lunch breaks. Just less than half (46 per cent) take a normal lunch hour.

One big problem that comes with remote working is the blurring of work and home life, which seems to be occurring as 73 per cent state they take calls and answer emails after normal working hours. It has been said that remote working can lead to ‘burnout’ as it brings with it an ‘always-on’ culture.

Another issue with remote working is loneliness, as 72 per cent of staff said they have experienced a day when they did not speak to any colleagues.

Worryingly, 53 per cent said they did not receive any support from their company to help and set them up to work at home. Over a fifth (26 per cent) did receive office supplies they needed and 16 per cent a voucher or cash to buy what they needed to set up a home office.

Joanna Swash CEO at Moneypenny said:

It’s clear that many companies are relying on their staff having a full home office to enable them to work from home and companies should be auditing the facilities their staff need and providing them.

Moneypenny spoke to 2,000 employees to gather these results.

 

 

 

 

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.