Firms are failing to meet the needs of hybrid workers

A survey of UK employers and employees gives insight into the lack of provision for remote and hybrid workers to carry out their roles. While just over half (56 percent) of employers admit they regularly check in with all employees to enquire about their health and wellbeing and 55 percent provide laptops, 73 percent of employees are ready to choose their next employer based on physical, health and wellbeing support and flexible technology provision.

The Future of Work survey by Ergotron, suggests that despite 88 percent of employers seeing the importance of bringing  IT devices when working in different rooms, almost a quarter (23 percent) of employers disagreed that the provision of the right ergonomic work conditions and support in employees’ health and overall well-being would be a strong asset in talent acquisition. This rose to 43 percent in organisations with 250-500 employees, and a staggering 64 percent of HR industry respondents. However, the finance and tech sectors most appreciate the significance of these factors, with 80 percent of those in IT/telecoms and 75 percent of those in finance agreeing the importance.

However, employers appear to have the ambition to make a success of remote working, appreciating the importance of an agile working environment. 73 percent think it’s important for workers to be able to switch between sitting and standing to support their physical needs while at work (87 percent of businesses with 250-500 employees) and over half (52 percent) of workers consider it important. Due to the need to collaborate with remote teams, and to work from home, the office or other locations, flexibility of technology, and portability of devices, has become critical too. 77 percent of employees and 88 percent of employers agreed on the importance of being able to bring their IT devices with them when working in different rooms. Yet only 55 percent of employers claim they are supplying a laptop to workers for home, office or third space.

Results of the survey suggest a disparity in terms of equipment employees deem essential  and what employers provide. Despite 89 percent of workers and 89 percent of employers citing a laptop as important, only 65 percent of all employees claim to have been provided one and 55 percent of employers admit to providing one. 75 percent of workers and 81 percent of employers concurred on the importance of an ergonomic chair, yet again, only 19 percent of workers claimed employers had supplied them with one.

With an increasing amount of technology applications required for typical work roles, 65 percent of employers said it’s important to have a large screen monitor (between 30 – 49 inches) but less than a third (28 percent) of employees have been supplied one and 30 percent of employers admitted they had provided one. 15 percent of workers claimed employers had not provided any equipment at all – including a laptop, ergonomic chair, large monitor, or a subsidy for equipment. While 30 percent of employers claim to offer a subsidy to workers to buy their own equipment, only 17 percent of employees claim they have been offered this.

Key findings: 

UK employers understand the importance of remote working requirements…

• 73 percent of employers consider it important to be able to switch between sitting and standing while working (87 percent of businesses with 250-500 employees)
• 71 percent of employers say it’s important for workers to be able to easily switch rooms / space to work in while taking their IT equipment with them
• 89 percent cited a laptop as important and 65 percent a large screen monitor
• 81 percent of employers agreed that an ergonomic chair is important

…but fail to provide them

• Only 56 percent of employers admit they regularly check in with all employees to enquire about their health and wellbeing
• Only 55 percent of employers admit they are providing a laptop and 30 percent provide a large screen monitor
• 30 percent of employers claim to offer a subsidy to workers to buy their own equipment (only 17 percent of employees say they have this offer)
• Only 19 percent of employees have been provided an ergonomic chair

Image: Ergotron