Worker productivity has endured and even improved due to remote working according to a survey by Expleo, the technology partner for innovative companies.
A combined 89% of business and IT leaders in Ireland said productivity had improved or stayed the same while working remotely, with 52% noting an improvement in productivity, and 37% attesting to a maintenance of productivity levels. Only 11% of respondents said productivity had declined due to remote working.
However, there is a sense that important intangibles such as company culture have been negatively impacted by the shift towards remote working. 53% of respondents expressed concern that long-term remote working has impacted, or will negatively impact their team or organisation’s camaraderie.
Expleo commissioned a survey of 200 business and IT leaders across the island of Ireland to understand how the pandemic is affecting their organisations. The findings have been aggregated and presented within Expleo’s Business Transformation Index 2021 report, providing a comprehensive analysis of the anticipated opportunities and prevalent threats for enterprises.
In terms of recruitment, Expleo’s survey found that 12% of companies have increased headcount during the pandemic, while 35% of companies plan to hire more people to address their IT skills shortage over the next 12 months. Additionally, 30% plan to outsource more IT functions and 43% plan to automate more processes to deal with their IT skills shortages.
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Findings from Expleo’s survey also illustrate the concerns among business leaders with regards to the sustainability agenda.
In some instances, the warning is stark: 45% of business leaders in Ireland don’t believe that their company is doing enough to make their IT infrastructure more environmentally friendly, and 40% don’t believe their business will be able to reduce its carbon emissions in line with the target set out in the Programme for Government of 7% per year.
Confidence in Ireland’s environmental performance is also a concern, with 65% feeling that Ireland won’t be able to meet that same carbon emissions reduction target.
While concerns remain around sustainability efforts, the report also highlights that enterprises are taking action, and plan to spend an average of €735,329 on making their IT infrastructure more environmentally sustainable over the next 12 months, compared with €578,585 this time last year.
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Commenting on the findings, Phil Codd, Managing Director, Expleo Ireland, said: “Since March of last year, the business community has been forced to conduct a remote working litmus test for large swathes of office workers throughout Ireland. To the enormous credit of these workers, our survey has found that productivity has improved or remained the same for the vast majority.
“With the Government outlining a new strategic approach to long term remote working, this workforce evolution looks set to continue. To ensure employees feel fully valued and connected, it’s imperative that business leaders find ways to boost employee camaraderie, culture and cohesion in the months and years ahead.
“While our survey also highlighted some significant concerns around our collective ability to meet more stringent environmental targets, it’s re-assuring to see that Irish enterprises are increasing their sustainability investments in the coming year.
“The valuable insights gleaned from our survey have provided demonstrable evidence of business agility across the island of Ireland. The research highlights that organisations who take a digital-first approach have the best opportunity to grow and prosper, particularly as the shackles of the pandemic loosen over 2021.
“At Expleo, we’re ready to support them on their journey by enabling businesses to reimagine processes and applications, improve worker empowerment and productivity, while upholding a robust sustainability agenda."
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Source: Written from press release
