Many UK employees currently working remotely feel they’re lacking the right tools and software to complete their tasks to the usual standard.
That’s according to the results of a survey conducted by ERP software specialist Intact, which set out to discover UK employees’ most desired work-from-home software.
Querying 1,000 workers from a range of sectors on their current work-from-home setups, Intact found a range of insightful results, including attitudes to the pieces of software most preferred by workers across the country.
As well as feeling as though their current software setups aren’t quite up to the task for carrying out their duties, half of employees admit to only checking workplace messenger tools less than once a day.
After almost a year of working from home, does the lack of engagement and productivity suggest that workers are growing tired of their current remote environment, even when we lean so heavily on software right now?
So, what are the most popular tools and software in use across the country’s work-from-home setups? Using Google search data, Intact found a list of the most frequently used software, tools and platforms for homeworking.
For anyone who’s had to use videoconferencing software, it should come as no surprise that Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Skype all grabbed the first, second and third-place spots respectively here. Dropbox, Google Drive and One Drive were all accounted for with spots in the top ten, too.
In their survey, Intact also asked a series of yes/no questions to gauge employee opinions on these apps and software to see if UK workers felt adequately supported, technologically speaking. 51% mentioned a technological knowledge gap within their company, while 42% noted that they weren’t given proper training on using communication software.
Elsewhere, 64% of workers felt comfortable storing personal information in work communication tools, with 62% un-phased by the possibility of employers monitoring their communications
With face-to-face workplace communication limited for the foreseeable, what kinds of tools and software do workers use most as part of their working day? Unsurprisingly, team communication and messenger apps accounted for 51% of the results, with File Sharing and HR/Intranet software garnering 17% and 16%, respectively.
And while workers aren’t checking communication tools as often as they should, there were still clear patterns of usage with regards to their preferred methods of talking to their colleagues. Instant messaging apps like Slack were the main mode (28%) of remote communication, with good old-fashioned email a mere percentage behind.
Despite their spread in popularity over the last year, video calls account for only 16% of the results, with voice calling even less popular than its more modern counterpart (8%).
With such a reliance on technology, apps and software right now, users are bound to encounter a few hiccups along the way. So, what did employees find to be the biggest annoyances with regards to their software?
Poor quality systems (23%) and technical issues (20%) ranked highly. And for anyone who’s experienced the misfortune of dropping out of a video call mid-conversation, they’ll know all too well just how annoying that can be. Indeed, 29% said that a poor internet connection can be a major hurdle in carrying out their duties.
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