UK workers 'lose 11 days a year to IT issues'
New survey sheds light on working time lost due to technology glitches, as three-quarters of workers believe IT issues impact productivity negatively.
19 January 2018
Despite advances in technology, a new study of 2,000 British workers suggests frustration over IT issues remains unchanged.Commissioned by Probrand, a marketplace for business IT product and service providers, the research found the average person loses 262 hours and 43 minutes each year due to tech faults and failures.
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IT and productivity
The majority of workers (76%) said the technical issues they experienced directly impacted their productivity in work, with computer crashes the number one complaint (75%). More than half (54%) of workers said that most of the faults they endure are due to their computers crashing or running slowly.The research also found that 48% of respondents blame poor internet speeds and connectivity problems for working hours lost.Related stories:
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Professional services sector hardest hit by IT issues
By sector, professional services workers suffer the most technical faults, according to the study. Here, 13 days each year are lost to system failures.This was closely followed by media, marketing and design workers (who lost 12 days) and healthcare workers (losing 11.5 days).Matt Royle, marketing director at Probrand, said: “It’s shocking how many days are lost to technical faults and failures. I imagine 11 days of productivity lost would have the greatest impact on smaller businesses and start-ups. These organisations generally don’t have an IT team either.”IT DIY or expert help?
Around a third (35%) of workers surveyed would turn to a colleague first instead of an IT support provider. A similar number (32%) would search for solutions to technology related-issues before contacting their technical support team.“It’s interesting to see that so many workers would turn to a colleague or Google to initially resolve a technology-related issue before speaking to their technical support team,” continued Mr Royle.“There are numerous small steps workers can take to minimise computers crashing or running slow. Some simple things include making sure they shut down machines at the end of each working day, keep systems updated rather than delaying them and ensure firewalls are still licensed to protect from viruses. “However, the responsibility not only sits with employees but also employers. It is in business owners’ interest to ensure their company has a reliable and fast internet connection to help employees work efficiently, provide quality customer service (if applicable) and support growth.”For related news and features, visit our HR section. Look out for the launch of 2018’s Relocate Awards, entry is now open. Relocate’s new Global Mobility Toolkit provides free information, practical advice and support for HR, global mobility managers and global teams operating overseas.
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