Microsoft study shows most workers who have to go into the office are doing the same work they can do from anywhere
LONDON, ENGLAND — One of the biggest reasons many British workers are reluctant to return to the office is their confidence in their ability to work well from home, or anywhere.
This is indicated by a new Microsoft study, which made a case for the laptop being the new office in a post-COVID environment when many employees are still working remotely.
The report compiled data from a study of 1,509 UK adults (1,008 employees and 501 IT decision-makers) who work at least one day per month in an office setting.
“UK office workers believe that with their laptop in hand, they can be productive wherever they are,” Microsoft noted.
“UK office workers believe that with their laptop in hand, they can be productive wherever they are.” - Microsoft report
Further, the tech giant found that even when having to work in-person, British workers were still largely using laptops in the same manner they could if allowed to work from anywhere.
“Laptops are the primary device used by UK office-based employees, used by 50 per cent of respondents, versus 41 per cent who use a desktop computer,” the report outlined.
“Eighty-one per cent of those who work on a laptop think of their device as their personal office, reflecting the sense that they are able to work from anywhere with the same level of performance and productivity.”
Remote work and in-person work the same
Remote work continues to be one of the most popular work benefits among UK jobseekers and current employees.
Several recent surveys have found that British workers value remote work even above salary or a four-day workweek.
Many UK remote workers feel they can do the same work remotely as they do in-person.
Although some employers in the UK and abroad have begun enforcing return-to-office mandates, it has been met with some measure of pushback from workers.
Nearly 45 per cent of British workers who already work remotely have indicated their willingness to quit if forced to return to the office, according to one study on the matter.
A potential reason for this, as indicated by Microsoft, is that workers are keenly aware that they are performing the same work whether in-person, at home or anywhere else — especially considering that they are mostly using the same equipment in the form of a laptop.
Microsoft noted, “Broadly speaking, respondents who use a laptop feel they can work effectively, even when they are in different locations or circumstances from their colleagues.
“Seventy-nine per cent of those who use a laptop say that the work they do is the same, regardless of where they are working from.”
Find the latest remote jobs in the UK via Remote Worker.
References:
Microsoft Surface study, “The re-imagined office: not a re-design but a re-define”
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