Presenteeism Undermining Competitiveness
The stuttering UK economy is driving a culture of presenteeism in organisations, undercutting the adoption of flexible working practices and undermining companies’ ability to compete, suggests new research. The study by O2, examined the future of work and flexible working in UK companies, to support the launch of its Joined Up People Service. It reveals that a significant proportion of office workers (41%) feel pressure to be present and visible in the office as a result of the economic climate.
Moreover, employees’ views on flexible working fundamentally differ to those of their employers. The employee perspective reveals:
- More than a quarter (27%) believe their performance is primarily measured by the time they spend in the office rather than the outputs that they deliver and that their organisation’s appraisal system doesn’t support or account for flexible working
- The same number (27%) feel that they’re prevented from working flexibly by their line manager
- Almost a third (31%) think their employer takes a narrow view of flexible working and fails to capitalise on potential benefits such as increased productivity, reduced costs and maximising competitiveness
- Employees acknowledge the benefits flexible working brings, with 54% stating that it helps people strike a work/life balance and 52% agreeing that working flexibly boosts productivity
- In addition, for employees (excluding those who are self-employed), flexible working is about choosing the hours that they attend work (70%), with only 39% believing it means being able to work from home
- Moreover, over a quarter of workers who aren’t self-employed (27%) regard choosing where to work as a major employee benefit
A separate study of business decision-makers reveals that this culture of presenteeism also flies in the face of what employers want, with more than a third (39%) stating that allowing staff to work flexible hours makes their business more productive whilst 43% say it helps retain employees. However, these findings also highlight the widespread nature of outdated and ineffective flexible working practices with 77% of organisations hindering the sharing of best practice and efficiencies by preventing staff from working flexibly across teams. 1 in 6 (16%) have no flexible working policy at all.
David Plumb, O2’s General Manager for Enterprise, said: “For many employees, flexible working has been sacrificed as a result of the growing pressure to be visible in the office. With so many organisations facing economic uncertainty, our research suggests large numbers of businesses are missing out on the productivity gains, improved employee and customer engagement and efficient processes that such flexible working practices can deliver. We have found that flexible working has different mindsets depending on if you are the employee or the employer, and that employees spending more time at their desks because they believe they have to is not going to contribute to driving UK business forward.”
Philip Ross, CEO of UnWork.com, author and future of work consultant added, “Historically people have been managed by supervision. But in the past five years this has started to change as companies begin to manage by results. This research however shows that there is still a long way to go. While employees may worry that their job is safer if they spend more time in the office, organisations are much better off investing in the right tools and technologies to enable more staff to work remotely. A 1,500-strong office in central London could save £6m a year on real-estate costs by replacing fixed desks with flexible working.”
Phil Flaxton, Chief Executive of Work Wise UK, a not-for-profit initiative which encourages the widespread adoption of smarter working practices, said: “In the current economic climate, many businesses feel that they cannot offer their employees flexible working. Yet implemented in the right way, smarter working practices are a win-win situation. Employers benefit from cost savings and increased productivity whilst employees can maintain a better work life balance. Flexible working should be fundamentally based on the principle of managing employees on output and not input. Public, private and third sector organisations need to join forces to bring about this change in attitude. Applying these new ways of working will then benefit the economy, environment and employees alike.”
The findings come as O2 launches a call for a new approach to flexible working – one which enables employees to work productively regardless of time and location and with the secure access to the tools they need to deliver their job on a business or personal device.
In supporting this call, O2 is launching a new service – Joined Up People, part of its Joined Up Business vision – designed to prepare and equip businesses to maximise the use of ICT in their business and to capitalise on the positive potential flexible working provides. With Joined Up People, O2 now provides businesses with the infrastructure, consulting and services to enable all types of businesses and their workforces to increase productivity, reduce costs and maximise competitiveness through flexible working.
The new service provides businesses with the flexible infrastructure needed to support applications, content and services that their employees need to complete their job wherever they are. O2 supplements this infrastructure with professional services consultancy to ensure flexible working practices are future-proofed, scalable and secure.
Peak Time Congestion Follows Roads Online
Research released today has shown that just like on the road and rail networks, Britain's broadband networks suffer from peak time congestion as well.
The research was carried out by uSwitch and reveals that in some parts of the country, broadband speeds can drop by as much as 69% at peak usage times and goes on to suggest that the worst time to be online is between 7pm and 9pm, shortly after many workers have returned home from a long commute. Commenting on the research, Work Wise UK CEO Phil Flaxton said:
"Some people refer to working from home or remote locations as 'telecommuting' and now it seems that like 'real world' commuting there are peak times to avoid online as well. With the worst of the winter travel chaos ahead of us and the planned inflation busting increases in fuel and rail fares, it has never been more important that Britain learns to work smarter and commute smarter."
Smart Commuting - A Guide For Employees
The challenge
Commuting for long periods of time has become a part of the UK’s working culture.
British workers spend more time travelling than any other country in Europe yet
studies have shown that excessive time spent commuting is one of the main factors
affecting worklife
balance. Britain's 9 to 5 culture with its peak
travel times generates extra congestion on the road, rail and underground networks and,
as a consequence increases stress for commuters.
Smarter Working for Smarter Commuting
One solution is to reduce the amount of time
spent commuting by using smarter working
practices such as flexible working hours, including staggered working, and
home working. By both employer and employees focusing on output, rather than input,
flexibility in when and where you work can be more easily utilised to maximise
efficiences in the working day.
Flexible Working Hours
Flexible working hours are an effective route to smarter commuting, allowing
journeys either to be made outside peak periods or reducing the number of
journeys all together. There are several ways your employer can carry this out
which are simple to implement:-
- Flexitime - Flexibility can be introduced on how you work your hours, whether
the required time is measured weekly or monthly.
- Flexi hours - By leaving early or later in the day, you can stagger your
journey outside peak periods, avoiding the stress of congestion, as well as
shortening your journey time if driving.
- Condensed Working – The number of journeys can be reduced by working
condensed hours; for example where you work your allocated hours in just
four days, taking the fifth day off and avoiding one day per week commuting.
Alternatively, you could take a half hour lunch break each day and then be
allowed to leave at 3.00pm on Friday, before peak travel time.
Home Working
Technological advances, particularly broadband, have allowed the option of home
working. However, some employers are understandably reluctant to implement it
fearing a reduction in productivity. This can be tackled by discussing with the
employer the benefits of working from home in your particular role as well as how
practically this can be carried out. For example, sometimes producing complex reports, requiring
long periods of concentration, can be better achieved at home. To write the report
may require special technical and security measures to access files from home.
Planning
Careful planning and agreement beforehand will ensure success of a smart working
scheme for smart commuting. It is essential that you and your employer consult with each
other and agree working practices. Before they are proposed, smart commuting
ideas are more likely to be accepted by your employer if practical consequences
such as customer service are thought through and solutions suggested.
- Talk to your manager – find out if your job is open to flexible working
practices and if not, what would need to change to make it be.
- Talk to colleagues – discuss your ideas with colleagues. Help your employer consult with your
colleagues, who may be affected by the introduction of smarter working,
perhaps through a staff survey.
- For home working think carefully about what type of, and how much work could be done at home and what
you would require in terms of resources and support to do it.
Commute Times Add Up To 5 Extra Weeks Work A Year
Employees spend nearly 200 hours a year travelling to and from work – adding up to around five weeks extra work – according to a TUC analysis of official statistics published today (Monday) to mark the start of Work Wise UK’s Commute Smart week (14-18 November).
The TUC study found that the average commute times for men are 26 per cent greater than for women – an average of 6.2 minutes longer on each commuting journey.
Men spend an average of 219 hours commuting per year, compared to 174 hours for women – a gap of 45 hours over the 12 months.
The gender commuting gap is biggest in the South East (8.8 minutes for each journey), the East of England (8.6 minutes) and Scotland (7 minutes).
The gap is smallest in London (3.3 minutes for each journey) and the North East (3.6 minutes). Women in London have longer average commute times than men who work in every other part of the UK.
London has the longest commute times for both male and female workers at 37.8 minutes per journey each way, while Northern Ireland has the shortest at 22.4 minutes.
A recent report from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) found that workers with the longest commutes tend to earn more than those with shorter journeys to work.
With increasing congestion on the roads and public transport problems significantly adding to people’s commute times, the TUC is calling on employers to offer smarter flexible working options to help staff avoid unnecessary and costly commutes.
Next year’s London Olympics offers the perfect opportunity for workers in the capital to embrace smarter working such as home working and staggered start and finish times, says the TUC.
TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: “Unnecessary long commutes are frustrating and expensive for staff, and bad for business too.
“Smarter working must be part of the modern economy. Staff want greater access to flexible and high quality home-working and employers need to do more to provide it.
“The link between long commutes and better pay is a concern as it can discriminate against women, who still bear the greatest share of childcare responsibilities, and do more than their fair share of work in the home. Eliminating the need for long commutes can also broaden access to a wider range of jobs for those unable to travel from home.
“With the 2012 Olympics set to bring many more people to the UK, employers and unions should consider how they can work together to manage the expected congestion and cut out some of these unnecessary rush-hour journeys.”
Chief Executive of Work Wise UK Phil Flaxton said: “In this day and age, old working practices dictating that employees must travel vast distances to sit at a desk every day are outdated.
“British workers are frustrated at the amount of wasted time caused by long, arduous journeys to and from work. Smart commuting, flexi-time and remote working can offer an ideal solution, giving a range of benefits for employees and employers alike.
“Not only is the amount of time commuting an issue, the 9 to 5 culture with its peak travel times generates congestion on the rail, underground and road networks and as a consequence, increases stress for commuters.”