3 in 4 want to ‘rethink traditional ways of working’

Research commissioned by cybersecurity company Kaspersky of 8,000 workers across multiple industries has revealed that over three-quarters of employees (78%) want to rethink pre-COVID-19 ways of working.

Instead of returning to business as usual, workers across the UK are now shaping a future of business on their terms, whether that’s spending more time with loved ones (31%), saving money (40%), or working remotely (25%).

Suddenly faced with an overwhelmingly remote workforce, business leaders now need to adapt fast to remain secure and resilient, while employees are using this moment of change as an opportunity to reassess yesterday’s priorities, and plan a future around what really matters to them. And as work and home lives are transformed, it’s employees who now see themselves in the driving seat.

In casting off the shackles of previously rigid job routines, employees are rethinking the next normal for work, inspiring more agile, accommodating, and humane work cultures. According to the research, 43% of UK workers want to leave behind the 9-5 working structure, while 35% are ready to see the back of fixed office desks, and over a third (34%) want to end the five-day working week.

The research also highlighted that around a third (31%) of UK employees see being able to spend more time with family as the third greatest benefit which comes as a by-product of coronavirus, after not travelling (32%) and saving money (40%). In fact, most of the advantages revolve around pursuing new opportunities for personal enrichment outside of work, as getting that work-life balance becomes even more important.

Yet as employees continue to embrace more forward-thinking and flexible ways of working, it is critical that businesses augment and adapt the support they provide. Given that 26% of the UK workforce actively seeks more technology support from their organisation when working remotely, the need to provide the tools and technology to keep users productive, connected and secure has never been greater.

Says Alexander Moiseev, Chief Business Officer at Kaspersky:

“We are facing a defining moment in time, and this is very exciting. It’s clear this pandemic has accelerated digital transformation and the blending of our work and homes lives. What we’re now seeing is employees using technology to own a new future, and actively taking the lead in embracing changes in pursuit of greater freedom and flexibility. Companies now have a mandate to adapt and remodel the modern workplace into something more productive, sustainable and malleable.”

The full report, ‘Securing the Future of Work’, can be found here.