Managed.IT - issue 55

BULLETIN 8 MANAGED.IT 01732 759725 Going gaga for radio Festival-goers fed up with congested mobile phone networks are embracing two-way radio as a reliable alternative, reports Nimans. Music fan Adam Howard told the telecoms distributor that he has added a two-radio to his festival kit bag after he and 40 friends used models from Motorola and Cobra to keep in touch at a music festival this summer. He said: “It was a massive complex and we all arrived at different times. A lot of people had been given their radios beforehand, so when they got to the site they could immediately contact everyone. The radios had been configured in advance and provided very clear and reliable communication, no matter where we were. We would have really struggled without the radios; they made everything so much easier.” Howard describes them as ‘invaluable’ in overcoming the drawbacks of mobile phone coverage at large events. “When we were in one of the main arenas, and particularly when a big act was performing, there was heavy signal congestion. We had a WhatsApp group, but it was difficult for us to send messages and to receive updates from others. By comparison, the radios were instantaneous, fast, convenient and reliable. Their ‘one to many’ function was especially useful compared to making the same phone call to lots of different people.” Teams must address remote working challenge As remote working increases, businesses must do more to ensure non-office-based staff are accommodated in team meetings, argues Barco ClickShare. Its pan-European survey of 1,500 senior white-collar workers shows that more than half (53%) of meetings already involve people who join remotely. This is likely to increase in the future, with 74% of respondents anticipating an increase in remote attendee-only meetings over the next three years. While 72% agree that meetings are better than they were five years ago, the research reveals particular problems for remote workers: 55% of those who regularly attend meetings remotely find it much more difficult to follow and contribute when not there in person; 45% feel less important; and 43% often feel frustrated or disengaged. Flexing your space Steelcase’s new Flex Collection was inspired by workplace ‘hacks’ performed by teams frustrated with their existing office space, such as claiming territory with makeshift barricades, repurposing everyday objects to create places for group work and covering walls and ceilings with sticky notes. The collection includes desks, tables, markerboards, carts, screens and accessories – all fitted with wheels, rollers or glides so that team workers can quickly reconfigure their space. Flex integrates seamlessly with the Steelcase Roam mobile stand (with battery pack) and wall mounting system for Microsoft’s Surface Hub 2S interactive collaboration display. www.steelcase.com/eu-en/ Always on takes its toll Microsoft is advising UK employers to address the risks of an ‘always on’ working culture following a survey that highlighted high levels of work-induced anxiety amongst office workers. In a survey of 2,000 employees coinciding with the launch of the company’s new Surface devices (see page 12), 86% of respondents said they had experienced anxiety due to the pressure of work in the last 12 months; 87% say they have trouble switching off and sleeping (86%); and 79% experience feelings of failure. More than half (56%) regularly answer work calls out of hours and 33% claim they don’t have enough time to spend with their family. Despite such concerns, just 23% of organisations regularly implement initiatives to improve employee well-being, and, while 50% of respondents work for organisations that offer flexible working, only 17% of UK employees are actively encouraged to work remotely. Travelling Flite Flite is an eco-friendly, super- light, ‘vegan’ sneaker designed for the modern business traveller. Suitable for both leisure and formal wear, the shoe is made from a mixture of recycled plastic fibres and, for the sole, a bio-plastic derived from sugarcane. SEVEN FEET APART, known for its Sevens shoe, designed Flite following a customer survey in which 74% of respondents said weight was important when they packed and 36% admitted to packing too many shoes. Flite, delivered in a space-saving packing tube, can be ordered in men’s and women’s styles in black, white, grey, navy or pink. Available exclusively from Kickstarter, for delivery in April 2020, it costs from £99, a 40% saving on the RRP of £164. http://kck.st/35wyIIt Sustainability a minor consideration for buyers Despite the best efforts of everyone from Prince Charles to Extinction Rebellion, sustainability still sits at the bottom of consumer purchasing criteria, behind cost and convenience. In a survey of 2,000 UK adults commissioned by IBM, only one third of consumers said they consider sustainability when making purchasing decisions, and one in four admits they have done nothing over the last five years to make their purchasing more environmentally friendly. On a more positive note, more than three quarters of people are attempting to limit the amount of single-use plastic they buy due to concerns about plastic ending up in the ocean and food chain. Given such mixed signals, it is perhaps not surprising that consumers are putting their faith in technology to provide a solution (so that they don’t have to): one third are pinning their hopes on AI to create a more efficient supply chain; one in five think Blockchain will help by tracing food miles; and 18% are trusting the Internet of Things to provide a solution, e.g. installing smart meters to reduce energy consumption.