Research
Half of workers frustrated with office tech
Nearly a quarter of office workers believe that the tech in their buildings directly hinders their productivity, a report from essensys has found.
A survey of 2,500 office-based workers in the UK showed that 53% are also frustrated at the state of technology in their workspace. Some 69% of those aged 18-34 believe they would be more productive if they had seamless and consistent connectivity in the office.
The essensys report argued that although technology can be a pull for workers, it can also drive them away if the building gets it wrong.
While people report that they want advanced tools, the basics matter. A “superior” internet connection, WiFi reliability and unbroken WiFi connectivity across all areas of a building all ranked among people’s biggest demands for the office.
Frustrations about services not working seamlessly extended to other areas, such as meeting room booking.
Three-quarters of workers have experienced it taking 30 minutes to identify, book and access a meeting room, essensys said. Once they get into the meeting room, more than a fifth (22%) said the tech inside let them down by failing to do simple things like connecting a laptop to a screen.
James Shannon, chief product and technology officer at essensys, said: “What is interesting is how alive workers are to the benefits of technology. Inadequate technology causes frustrations and can be a deterrent to coming to the office, whereas technology done well can be a huge attraction to bring people back to the office and support the types of workplaces they want.”
Don’t compromise on security
Improving connectivity should not come at the expense of security, essensys warned. Nearly two-thirds (63%) were concerned about the security of their organisations’ data security. A full third said they were aware of a data security breach where they worked.
The report identified “genuine concern” among workers about the state of cybersecurity. Increased flexibility in the workplace will require greater connectivity, which, if not implemented properly, can leave businesses vulnerable to breaches.
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