A third of businesses in the UK admit they lack the tech infrastructure required to manage remote workers in the long-term, according to a new study.
With a large portion of the UK's total workforce now working from home due to the outbreak of Coronavirus, private equity provider Leonne International found that a significant number of employers may have difficulty sustaining these practices beyond the short-term.
Forty-one per cent of senior business leaders said they plan to increase their IT and tech investment in the coming weeks to cope with the new remote working structure. This could be because 26% said their business lacks the in-house digital skills required to manage long-term remote working.
Sridhar Iyengar, managing director of Zoho Europe, who took part in the study, said: “It is vital that technology providers work together to offer free IT support and advice to those who need it, in an effort to protect jobs, livelihoods and the wider economy.
With many businesses scrambling to introduce virtual meetings, manage projects online and provide essential daily briefings for employees, the tech industry has a moral obligation to step in and offer resources to help companies to adapt to this new way of working.”
Michael Haston, CEO of Leonne International, said: “These are tough times for businesses, with the Coronavirus wreaking havoc and forcing thousands of companies to enforce mandatory remote working policies. It’s critical that companies are given the necessary financial support to respond to this threat, enabling businesses to invest in technology to ensure every worker can perform to the best of their ability, remotely.”
Elsewhere, a corporate virtual private network provider reported a huge spike in usage since the outbreak of Coronavirus, and a 600% increase in sales around the world.
