Hybrid Working Model Here To Stay; Tech Upgrades Needed: Research

August 24, 2022 by Dave Haynes

There were all kinds of predictions from experts about how the pandemic and health safety concerns would change workplaces, and as offices and other working environments have re-populated, there’s tangible research indicating what’s really happening.

New research from Futuresource Consulting suggests that the hybrid working model is indeed here to stay, with nearly half (45%) of American home-workers expecting to remain doing their jobs from home throughout 2022.

The main goal of the Home Working End User Survey, based on some 1,500 interviews, was to determine employee attitudes and behaviour around video conferencing technology in workspaces. That’s only vaguely related to digital signage, but the larger trend reflects a need in many working environments to find ways to communicate how things have changed and guide people using new screen-based applications like hot-desking, directories and meeting room booking systems.

Says Futuresource in a summary:

Although broad patterns were evident in the data, like the overall rise in home-working and the inclination of employers to supply equipment, we also spotted certain trends among job titles and age groups.  

Key takeaways include: 

• Those in marketing-elated roles see higher rates of working from home, compared to admin and R&D (Research & Development);
• Unsurprisingly, Gen-Z demonstrate a greater interest in adopting virtual reality to assist in remote collaboration;
• Female employees are more likely to be permanently based at home than male employees. 

How Has the Pandemic Changed Things? 

With the initial survey being conducted in April 2020, analysts have witnessed a unique insight into evolving work attitudes throughout the pandemic.  

A greater investment in quality technology is clear. The need to ease the strains of patchy Wi-Fi and strengthen tenuous connections is perhaps to blame, with most employees favouring sound quality over anything else when purchasing a headset.  

In fact, as many as 32% of respondents switch off their video camera to improve bandwidth. With remote working already taking its toll on the quality of employee interaction, shaky internet connections are serving to intensify this.