A new independent survey of over 900 full-time workers in the UK has uncovered how they have adapted to remote working in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. It found:
- 24% of people have found the transition to remote working difficult
- This rises to 28% of millennials, compared with just 11% of those aged over 55
- 28% of millennials have experienced regular problems with technology, while 30% have faced daily problems with their internet connection
- This drops to just 18% and 12% of over 55-year-olds, respectively
- 27% of millennials feel their organisation should have provided more training to help them do their jobs efficiently from home, compared with only 9% of over-55s
UK millennials are finding it more difficult to adapt to remote working in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis than older employees, new research has found.
London-based tech developer Studio Graphene commissioned an independent survey among over 900 full-time employees within UK businesses. It found that 24% of people have found the transition to remote working difficult – this rises to 28% for millennials (18-34 year olds), compared with just 11% of those aged over 55.
Over a quarter (28%) of millennials have experienced regular problems with technology while working from home, while 30% have also faced problems with their internet connection on a daily basis. These figures drop to 18% and 12% respectively for those aged over 55.
Three in ten (30%) millennials feel their employer should have provided more training and support so they could do their jobs more efficiently from home. This is higher than the average of 27% across all demographics, with just 9% of over 55-year-olds saying the same thing.
Meanwhile, a third (33%) of millennials have also experienced physical aches and pains while working remotely, due to their home ‘workstation’ not being suitably set up.
Ritam Gandhi, founder and director of Studio Graphene, said: “After several weeks of lockdown in the UK, the challenge of remote working has clearly taken its toll on some people. Interestingly, this research reveals a disparity between millennials and older generations when it comes to people’s acclimatisation to remote working.
“Whether it is because of less suitable (or comfortable) living conditions or higher expectations of their companies, it is clear that millennials are struggling more with the change – this includes tech issues, physical pains and the need for more support. I urge businesses to step up and provide tools and training for their employees during this difficult period; importantly, they cannot treat their entire workforce the same, with each member of staff having unique needs and circumstances that they must support.”
