04
magazine
businessinfomag.uk
Employees in the UK are less likely to have
access to the latest technology at work than
their European counterparts, according to
research by ADP, a global provider of Human
Capital Management (HCM) solutions.
While more than eight in ten (82%) French,
German and Dutch employees have access to the
latest business tools, only 70% of UK employees feel
that they are equipped with the tools and technology
necessary for them to do their job effectively.
The research highlights gaps in technology
adoption between countries, with German employees
50% more likely to be provided with a business
laptop than those in the UK and French workers 36%
more likely to have a work mobile phone.
One company that appreciates the value of IT
investment is homebuilder Story Homes, which
recently invested £1.25m in new technology to
aid the company’s expansion plans and boost
productivity. The company is already seeing the
benefits of its investment in advanced audio
and video-conferencing systems and interactive
whiteboards, which enable remote parties to meet
in a ‘virtual’ meeting room. Technical director Ian
Storey said: “Introducing new systems across the
company has made it much easier for us to work
collaboratively. As a regional home builder, we’ve
got colleagues in a number of different locations
across the North of England and South Scotland.”
Home truths
Home working is not as common or
as widespread as it is perceived to
be, a leading UK IT managed services
provider claims.
According Phoenix, half of UK
workers work from home less than once
a month and 36% of workers never do,
despite the fact that over three quarters
(76%) of companies have a remote
working policy in place.
Alistair Blaxill, managing director
of Phoenix’s Partner Business, said:
“Remote working is often seen as a key
ingredient of the successful business of
the future but currently the reality is
very different...Companies’ intentions of
increasing remote working is sometimes
not being fully realised because the
legacy infrastructure and IT support
base is not as developed as it needs to
be to implement it.”
Phoenix believes it is vital for
businesses to address the low level
of remote working, as an increasing
number of workers will
expect to have more
mobility and stay fully
connected to work.
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co.uk
agenda
UK employees
less well
equipped than
European
counterparts
Collaboration technology tops
worker wish list
Over three quarters (77%) of UK employees say
that collaboration technology is essential to the
day-to-day running of their business, according to
Unify’s
Humanising the Enterprise
study.
The study shows that UK workers expect
collaboration technology to become more prominent
at work, but are regularly frustrated by being unable to
communicate and collaborate effectively.
Four out of five workers (79%) experience
technology frustrations at work, suggesting that there is
more that companies can do to empower their teams to
work productively.
Collaboration is not purely a product of technology. Furniture can also have an impact. Vee from
Allermuir has been designed to offer the ideal balance between privacy and collaboration. Combining
sound-absorbent upholstery, integrated power outlets and under-seat storage, it is perfect for quick
touchdowns and longer work meetings.
E-waste at record levels
The amount of global e-waste reached
41.8 million tonnes in 2014, according to
a United Nations University (UNU) report.
Old kitchen, laundry and bathroom
equipment accounted for most of the
electrical and electronic equipment
discarded, but there were also 6.3 million
tonnes of old screens and 3 million tonnes of
small ICT equipment.
Askar Sheibani, CEO of IT and telecoms
repair and support company Comtek, says
that not enough is being done to tackle the
record levels of global e-waste.
He said: “Part of the problem is that many
businesses are ripping out and replacing ‘old’
IT and telecoms equipment without properly
considering that it would be fully functional,
perhaps with a small repair.”
Sheibani adds that when equipment does
come to its true end of life, certain elements
will still have a use and should not be
discarded. “Ultimately, a more conscientious
approach will save businesses money, make
better use of the UK’s valuable resources for
the benefit of our economy and save the
environment,” he said.
Is home working bad for your health?
New research by Furniture123.co.uk
suggests that it could be, with 78%
of people admitting to working while
seated on a sofa. Another problem is
widespread use of tablet computers
instead of laptops. Ergonomics specialist
BakkerElkhuizen warns that using a
tablet for prolonged periods is bad for
your posture as tablets force you to lean
forward, putting extra strain on the neck
and shoulders. To counter this problem it
recommends using a wireless keyboard
and a fold-away TabletRiser stand to
hold the tablet at a healthy angle.
