But, following a survey of 1000 UK companies, firms are ill-prepared, concludes Siemens Enterprise Communications (SEC) while urging UK plc to adopt the new technology necessary to keep Britain moving this summer. The threat to smooth-running business is multiple and ongoing, but made acute this summer. Overstretched transport systems may prevent staff from getting to work. Other staff might choose to work from home. Others might turn up at work, but then overstretch and flood the corporate bandwidth by streaming BBC video in order to watch David Beckham score the winning goal in the soccer final.
Siemens’ research shows that despite advanced warnings of potential disruption to productivity, nearly half (43%) of UK businesses haven’t developed a flexible working policy or specific travel guidelines for the period of potential travel disruption. Furthermore, even though there is a general move towards increased flexible working, 39% of employees only think they ‘sometimes’ have the right tools.
Siemens’ conclusion is that the Olympics this summer presents business with a rapid and acute need to address flexible working requirements; but that there simultaneously exists a chronic need to do so beyond this summer. Cities are becoming more congested and transport costs are continually rising. Telecommunications, however, are improving in quality and decreasing in cost. The solution is obvious, suggests, David Lindley, SEC’s UK head of service delivery and support: “By investing in many of the collaborative tools, such as unified communications (UC) and enhancing customer responsiveness, businesses can maintain the delivery of core business functions. However, some businesses are not supporting their staff by boosting their potential for more productive and flexible working with effective policies, training and technology.”
This may need to be done sooner rather than later, simply because of the Olympic Games. There’s only 99 days to go.