A study conducted by Toluna and Harris Interactive, two leading providers of consumer intelligence, assesses how employees in the UK are coping with the shift in working arrangements. It reveals essential insights to help businesses manage people, culture, engagement and address their top concerns as the pandemic unfolds and they embrace a new normal.

The study was carried out on April 1, surveying 598 employees in the UK.

Key findings:

Employees feel confident in their organisation’s planning and decision making:
  • 70% of employees feel confident in their organisation's communications about the pandemic with regards to business continuity planning and working arrangements
  • 77% of employees feel their employer and/or organisation was at least somewhat prepared to handle a crisis like this
  • 90% are reassured their employers are doing everything they can to protect the personal safety of them and their colleagues
Despite mass layoffs and furloughs in the headlines, employee morale has remained high:
  • 58% are still highly motivated to do their best job
  • 64% are committed to achieving what their organisation is trying to do
Employees feel empowered and self-sufficient when it comes to working from home, despite less than ideal workspace:
  • 61% of employees feel they are just as productive if not more, compared to their normal place of work before the COVID-19 crisis
  • 90% of workers feel just as self-disciplined or more since working from home
  • 72% feel confident in their ability to get the job done to the same standard as their normal work location
  • 94% say they have the proper tools and technology provided by their employer to work effectively from home
Employees would feel less anxious if they received more communication from employers on:
  • HR issues such as working arrangements, partial unemployment, paid or unpaid leave (25%)
  • The health safety and wellbeing of colleagues e.g. cases of COVID-19 (23%)
  • Current company performance and business plans as the pandemic unfolds (23%)
Vijay Mistry, Head of Employee Experience Research for Harris Interactive and Toluna, said: “It’s clear from our findings that, while UK employees have concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic and the new working from home landscape, they are adapting successfully and are even increasingly committed to their company’s goals. Businesses must remember that consistent and accurate communication is paramount to employee engagement, personal wellbeing and, in turn, productivity levels. This is where an organisation’s shared values and strong culture will shine through, ensuring the business survives during difficult times.”