Tweet
VOLISH RESEARCH suggests that businesses' lack of trust in their employees is costing them money.
According to the report by Microsoft and YouGov, British employers continually fail to trust their staff to work flexibly causing a big dent in productivity.
Only one third of the UK’s workforce is offered flexible working options, the research shows. Microsoft reckons offices should be done away with and workers should wire themselves up to Windows and stuff the commuting.
By avoiding travel during rush hour, employees could cut their commute and put the additional time towards something more beneficial, says the Vole, like "career development or leisure time spent with friends and family."
"Obviously not every sector is suited to flexible working, but by allowing appropriate employees to bypass the rush hour grind, their job satisfaction, productivity, performance and ultimately commitment to their employer could be improved," reckons Allister Frost, a product manager at Microsoft Ltd.
The research suggests 93 per cent of employees already have access to an Internet-enabled computer at home. Microsoft reckons that almost 40 per cent of staff spent the first hour of their working day catching up on email, a task which is not location-dependent.
The Vole says an "archaic office-bound, nine to five work mentality" in Britain is forcing "more than 70 per cent of employees to needlessly travel an additional 45 minutes during rush hour each day, raking up an average of 15 hours per worker wasted each month".
Nearly 15 per cent of Britain’s workforce is late for work at least once or twice a week as a result of peak hour congestion and delays, it says.
According to Frost, "a lack of trust is inhibiting [firms] from grasping the opportunity with both hands. The technology already exists to enable people to take a more flexible approach to their work and with the trust of their employers, staff could enjoy a better work/life balance whilst delivering optimum performance."
Nigel Stanley, TUC Head of Campaigns, said: "Flexible working does not just benefit staff. The employer gains too from the higher morale, better staff retention and higher trust relationships that go along with flexible hours."
Of course, this story was knocked up in the living room, while Spain and the Ukraine were battling it out on a box in the corner.
According to the report by Microsoft and YouGov, British employers continually fail to trust their staff to work flexibly causing a big dent in productivity.
Only one third of the UK’s workforce is offered flexible working options, the research shows. Microsoft reckons offices should be done away with and workers should wire themselves up to Windows and stuff the commuting.
By avoiding travel during rush hour, employees could cut their commute and put the additional time towards something more beneficial, says the Vole, like "career development or leisure time spent with friends and family."
"Obviously not every sector is suited to flexible working, but by allowing appropriate employees to bypass the rush hour grind, their job satisfaction, productivity, performance and ultimately commitment to their employer could be improved," reckons Allister Frost, a product manager at Microsoft Ltd.
The research suggests 93 per cent of employees already have access to an Internet-enabled computer at home. Microsoft reckons that almost 40 per cent of staff spent the first hour of their working day catching up on email, a task which is not location-dependent.
The Vole says an "archaic office-bound, nine to five work mentality" in Britain is forcing "more than 70 per cent of employees to needlessly travel an additional 45 minutes during rush hour each day, raking up an average of 15 hours per worker wasted each month".
Nearly 15 per cent of Britain’s workforce is late for work at least once or twice a week as a result of peak hour congestion and delays, it says.
According to Frost, "a lack of trust is inhibiting [firms] from grasping the opportunity with both hands. The technology already exists to enable people to take a more flexible approach to their work and with the trust of their employers, staff could enjoy a better work/life balance whilst delivering optimum performance."
Nigel Stanley, TUC Head of Campaigns, said: "Flexible working does not just benefit staff. The employer gains too from the higher morale, better staff retention and higher trust relationships that go along with flexible hours."
Of course, this story was knocked up in the living room, while Spain and the Ukraine were battling it out on a box in the corner.