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Data indicates two-thirds of businesses will change operating model to focus on employee experience
EMEA business leaders are out of touch with what employees want in the hybrid workplace experience , and 66 % of organisations plan to adopt a different operating model than they had before the COVID-19 pandemic , according to a new survey from Unisys Corporation .
A majority ( 61 %) of these organisations say these new models are designed to ensure employee safety and to achieve more productivity ( 47 %). Almost two thirds ( 64 %) say the key driver for them is to create a better overall employee experience .
The findings are included in a new IDC white paper , sponsored by Unisys , titled Digital Workplace Insight : Seeking Digital and Experience Parity to Support the Hybrid Workforce .
Further key EMEA highlights from the survey include :
• While work location and schedule that is conducive to family life is important for 66 % of employees in EMEA , only 49 % of business leaders see this as important .
• Fifty-one percent of employees said that empowering teams and individuals is crucial , but here the discrepancy was even higher with only 31 % of businesses acknowledging this .
• This gap is significantly lower in North America ( 63 % of employees and 51 % of businesses ).
On the other hand , 55 % of business leaders say that access to the most up-to-date technology for the task at hand is key to an ideal employee experience . This is only important to 43 % of employees .
Concerns about remote working differ significantly
Similarly , business leaders show much more concern around the practicalities of remote working than employees :
For 38 % of business leaders , difficulties communicating and working with other team members is a concern . Only 24 % of employees agree .
Thirty-eight percent are concerned about the lack of management oversight and visibility as a result of home working , compared to only 7 % of employees . While 38 % are worried about potential difficulties accessing data , only 11 % of employees believe this is a challenge .
Using unfamiliar or new work from home technologies is seen as a challenge by 41 % of business leaders , but only by 10 % of employees .
Overall , employees are far more positive about the new remote working model , with 33 % not seeing any or just a few noticeable challenges that come with remote working .
“ One of the outcomes of 2020 has been the rapid technology , process and policy adjustments that most organisations have made to support hybrid ways of working ,” said Holly Muscolino , Research Vice President , Content Strategies and the Future of Work at IDC .
“ Across the globe , almost 40 % of the workforce was forced to shift to remote ways of working almost overnight , while the remaining 60 % continued to adapt and find new , safer ways to do their jobs . Now we know that , for most , there will be no return to the business models of 2019 . Remote employees will continue to comprise almost one-quarter of the global workforce , albeit with some variability across industries .
“ The hybrid workforce – remote , on-site , in the field and transitioning between locations – is here to stay , and the temporary changes organisations put into place throughout 2020 must become permanent going forward ,” said Muscolino . x
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