by Brianna Crandall — May 26, 2014—British workers are embracing remote working, finds new research by Virgin Media Business conducted by YouGov. The study reveals that three-quarters (74%) of the remote workers surveyed believe that traditional working patterns have been redefined due to changes in globalization and competition, with over a third (39%) of U.K. businesses trading internationally, according to the 2013 International Trade Survey from the British Chambers of Commerce.
The research, which surveyed over 1,274 remote workers online in April, reiterates the growing trend towards less conventional working practices, with 84% believing traditional 9 to 5 business hours apply less now compared with 10 years ago. Changing beliefs and practices concerning remote working clearly have a big impact on space management, property management, real estate costs and related workspace issues.
New ways of working are being fueled by employees’ desire to take greater control of their lives, with over three-quarters (77%) of respondents stating that remote working helps them address their work-life balance. The ability to work from anywhere at any time is not only becoming the norm, but almost four in five employees (78%) believe companies today need to offer it to attract and retain staff.
Remote working is also helping employees perform better in their roles. An overwhelming majority (81%) believe remote working makes their working life much more productive and, more importantly, 84% believe that allowing staff to work remotely shows that their company trusts and values them.
Duncan Higgins, marketing director, Virgin Media Business, said, “Workers today expect their employers to not only allow flexible working practices, but also to provide them with the tools and training they need to do it well. If done correctly, remote working can transform an organization, making the work environment less complex and enabling employees to be more collaborative and deliver a better service in an increasingly competitive business environment.”
However, the research also found that a quarter of the workers surveyed believe that remote working is misunderstood because little to no training is provided by companies to employees on how best to embrace remote working. In addition, a lack of understanding and trust has in the past inhibited companies’ willingness to allow staff to work remotely. A third of employees (34%) think remote working is misunderstood due to a lack of trust between organizations and their remote employees, while 42% believe coworkers do not trust remote workers.
Professor Cary Cooper, psychologist and professor of organizational psychology and health at Lancaster University Management School and founding director of Robertson Cooper, who assisted in the development of the research, said, “It is human nature to not trust these new ways of working; we have a behavioral tendency to distrust practices which are outside the norm. But companies that trust and embrace flexible working and enable their staff to do so often have a better, stronger and more open relationship with their staff.”
The research questioned respondents on their top tips for successful remote working. The top three were:
- Technology-ready—Two-thirds (65%) suggested that remote workers should make sure their technology and Internet connectivity is fully operational, and that they can link up with work files and access their company network.
- Right space—Over half of respondents said it is important to dedicate a quiet space in the home or on the move for working (56%).
- Contactability—Over half said it is necessary to ensure people know when a remote worker can and cannot be contacted (54%).
Almost three-fifths (59%) of the remote workers surveyed are expected to work around customer needs, often outside conventional business hours. A full 68% said remote working has enabled them to dedicate time to other business priorities such as training and business development.