During one week in the lockdown period circa half of the UK workforce was working from home, compared to circa 5% for the whole of 2019, according to a study by Cloud and managed services provider FourNet (previously 4net Technologies).
The cloud and managed services provider set out to examine how companies and public sector organisations have acted during the coronavirus lockdown and how they should prepare for the future.
The firm concludes that remote working will become the new normal for tens of thousands of people across Britain.
Richard Pennington, MD, said: “The rapid nature of the lockdown in Britain turned normal boardroom decision-making on its head. These decisions could have crucial consequences for business outcomes and security in the future.”
The study also noted that with the dust settling and businesses getting used to the new landscape, organisations up and down the country would be wise to set aside time to review their lockdown decisions as part of a joined-up digital transformation strategy.
According to the report, a growing numbers of organisations and contact centre operators may find, as they crunch the numbers in the coming weeks and months, that remote working offers opportunities for growth which their rivals have already seized. This may provoke a broader shift in corporate thinking.
Others, rather than pressing ahead with a planned move to larger premises in a costly new office block, might discover savings can be made by turning this unexpected foray into home working into a long-term strategic shift, said the study.
FourNet adds that some organisations may be further along the technology curve than others, but all should be considering whether they have made the correct calls and have robust systems, legally compliant processes and best-in-class platforms to weather the worst storms in future.
Pennington added: “Working from home is here to stay. It will become a regular feature of weekly life for more employees and contact centre agents than ever before. That means businesses, public sector organisations and contact centres need to be better prepared, utilising technology to bridge the gaps.”