According to senior IT leaders, flexible working results in better mental health
| The European | 5 March 2020
The first in a new series of reports commissioned by SCC – which surveyed a panel of 550 IT decision-makers from 11 public and private sectors – reveals health and wellbeing are quickly becoming just as important in the office as it is in our everyday lives.
73% of respondents say people are increasingly expected to work outside of traditional office hours – making remote working solutions a necessity, not a choice. Supporting this, 78% say their organisation offers flexibility in the core hours employees work in order to allow them to do personal activity, and 78% also say people are now typically measured on their outcomes and outputs, irrespective of where or when they perform their work, suggesting a seismic shift in working culture.
On the other hand, 70% of IT decision-makers also believe flexible working can make people feel isolated, with a further 77% saying their organisation actively promote technology to help remote employees connect to the business.
When it comes to asking for help, in the office or on-the-go, the panel of IT decision-makers were generally positive about their organisation's service desk and user service requests.
74% say their Service Request Management Processes have been adapted to support Workplace Productivity, with 71% using Virtual Assistance for service requests and self-help. 76% offer self-help, where users can action standard requests themselves, whilst 76% say their organisation has a Service Desk that is available outside of traditional business hours.
Looking ahead, 71% of respondents agree that chatbots enhance the user experience when used in the workplace for functions such as service requests and self-help, with 74% saying their organisation is interested in investing in chatbot technology.
James Greene, CTO at SCC said:
"It's SCC's long-held belief that people are the key to success and belong at the heart of any business. As more people become concerned with wellbeing, and with technology able to blur the lines between home and work, mobile working can play a role in improving health and wellbeing in the workplace.
"Not only does the promotion of mobile working make a company more attractive to work for, helping to attract and retain the best talent, it can lead to better business outcomes, with a happier, healthier workforce measured on output and not restricted by location. It's important to nurture this shift in working culture, and ensure it is underpinned by the right technology."
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