2023 marked the great office return, with a steep rise in interest for both employees and employers returning to the office environment. According to the Virgin Media O2 Business Future of Work study, 58% of workers cited stronger connections with colleagues as a primary motivation for returning to the office, while 55% reported improved mental health attributed to in-office work environments.

Currently 57% of business leaders expect their employees to return to the workplace full-time, with only 9% permitting fully remote work, according to recent research. Despite this trend, a significant portion of the workforce continues to operate remotely. With 74% of respondents wanting flexibility between office and remote work, employers are facing increasing pressure to balance the needs of their employees across different work settings or risk losing valued staff.

Ross Pearson, Head of Small Enterprise at Virgin Media O2 Business looks at some strategies that SMEs can implement to unlock workplace efficiencies amidst a blend of remote and in-office work?

Location, location, location

With two-thirds of CEOs predicting staff will return to office five days a week, factors such as commuting costs and travel disruptions pose a challenge for many staff in the current cost of living crisis. Our latest Movers Index reveals that the average daily commuting cost, including expenses like lunch and transportation, stands at £29 – amounting to£628 monthly and a hefty £7,540 annually for a five-day office week.

This is particularly significant for younger employees who are starting their careers and may be on lower salaries and want to prioritise savings as more than one-third (37 per cent) of young people aged 18-24 were in low hourly pay in 2022, more than double the rate among workers aged 25-64 (15 per cent).

Travel disruptions and delays also create a significant reason for many staff to try and avoid the commute. Last year 55% of public transport commuters experienced delays of over an hour and more than one-in-five (21%) of these missed important meetings or appointments due to severe delays.

This can also present difficulties for businesses who may be uncertain where their staff will be based on any given day.

The solution? Effective and reliable connectivity solutions. With trusted connectivity, employees are empowered to work where suits them best. Whether their commute is disrupted, or they need flexibility to manage family commitments, they can alter plans and still deliver effectively.

Strong connectivity unlocks efficiencies

Establishing an environment where employees can seamlessly move between remote and in-office work futureproofs businesses against external disruptions, while also supporting employee wellbeing.

Implementing robust hybrid working solutions not only enhances productivity but also offers greater flexibility and choice for employees, with research showing that a third (33%) of UK workers believe technology solutions could offer them a better work-life balance.

To optimise efficiency further, employers can ensure their workforce is not only equipped with the right technology but also has the digital skills and knowledge to use these tools and solutions confidently. It is futile for employers to invest in innovative connectivity solutions if the workforce does not know how to reap the benefits of them.

Consequently, SMEs can drive efficiency and profitability by ensuring their teams can maximise the value of their digital tools by understanding employee needs and providing them quality training sessions on how to best use their tech.

A flexible approach

As SMEs navigate the complexities of the modern hybrid workplace, they must recognise the role of connectivity as the foundation for an effective workforce. Investing in robust connectivity infrastructure supports employee productivity and maximises the value of tech investments, effectively futureproofing operations in an ever-changing landscape.

Given that outdated and slow technology is recognised to cause workplace frustrations and reduce productivity, the combination of outdated technology and delays in finding fixes consumes about 46 minutes of the average employee’s working day, costing a business approximately £2,752 a year. As such, SMEs should not be further disadvantaged by forcing employees to choose between working at home or on-site full time.

Instead, by prioritising and delivering reliable, secure connectivity solutions, SMEs can improve employee satisfaction, productivity, retention and overall business performance. As ways of working habits continue to evolve, connectivity will underpin the ability of SMEs to be agile and adapt to new technology trends and employee needs, as well as help them to reach their digital potential faster.