With the “war for talent”, good software can make the difference

By Gaia Lamperti

Almost half of British office workers would be tempted to work for another employer if they offer better apps and software to make their working lives easier, according to a new national survey.

The fully-weighted survey of 1,500 office workers, commissioned by enterprise productivity operating system provider OpenFin and conducted by OnePoll, found that 46% would consider making the leap to a new job if employers provided better apps or software systems for employees.
The research also reveals that more than one in ten (12%) office workers were unhappy with the apps provided by employers to do their jobs and collaborate with colleagues during the pandemic lockdowns.

The survey highlights a lack of training from employers during lockdown. Almost half (48%) of respondents said that their employer had not provided them with more training since working from home during the pandemic and 11% said they had received less training since working from home.

The research adds weight to concerns about a “Great Resignation” in Britain, with almost a quarter of workers actively planning to change employers in the coming months prompted by a high number of vacancies and burnout caused by the pandemic, according to a separate survey of 6,000 workers by recruitment firm Randstad UK.

Another survey of 1,226 UK managers by the Chartered Management Institute found that resignations from April to December 2021 were higher than in the same period in 2019 for 45% of respondents.

Adam Toms, CEO-Europe at OpenFin, said: “The great resignation is a wake-up call for employers across Britain, and this research indicates that the software and tech tools provided to employees are at the heart of both staff retention and productivity. Now that there is a potential light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, and with many employees likely to work on a hybrid basis going forward, it is an important moment to invest in our people. This means considering the application, software and training needs of staff, supercharging employees with the right data in their workflows and decision making to make them more efficient, more effective and much happier.”

The vast majority of those surveyed (86%) said that the apps, tools and tech provided by employers to do their jobs are important, and one in five (18%) chose “being provided the right apps and tech tools to succeed in my job” in the top three most important factors impacting job satisfaction, and 35% choosing “flexibility from my employer”.

The survey revealed an age divide in training during lockdown. Employers are prioritising training the youngest rather than experienced staff, with 83% of Gen Z office workers (aged 18-24) saying their employers had given them more training during lockdown compared with far fewer millennials (25-40) at 45%, baby boomers (57-75) at 35% and the lowest figure for Gen-x respondents (41-56) at 33%.

Despite the major concerns expressed by some about the quality of apps, many are delighted with the software support provided by their employers during lockdown. Of the 50% of UK office workers who said their employer invested in new apps, tools or technology during the pandemic, 87% agreed that the apps helped improve their productivity and 80% said this made their jobs easier.

The research also reveals a surprisingly positive effect of working from home during the pandemic lockdown on working relationships, which improved for almost half (48%) of office workers, while 37% said they remained the same and more than one in ten (12%) said their working relationship got worse.

Toms added: “These statistics clearly demonstrate the resilience and positive spirit of British office workers through adversity, however it is also clear that many are resigning because they increasingly value flexible working and employers who are willing to invest in them.”