A recent global study from Webexpenses has revealed its users expect COVID-19 will accelerate digital transformation within business. 93% of respondents said they believe the pandemic will be a catalyst for digital transformation, with over a third (35%) stating they will be looking to review their own departmental processes as a result of the enforced lockdown.
More than eight in 10 (84%) of those surveyed found themselves working from home during lockdown – mirroring the latest ONS data* revealing 86% of those who worked from home recently did so due to the pandemic. However, this has unearthed significant tech-related obstacles. Six in 10 (60%) stated they have experienced tech-related challenges during this period.
Top three issues were:
- Access issues (such as accessing software, networks, files and broadband) (62%)
- Supporting colleagues to use technology (19%)
- Inadequate equipment and hardware (18%)
Many of those employees facing such issues reported a significant increase in their average weekly working hours during lockdown. Four in 10 (42%) of those who did not usually work from home before the pandemic reported working extra hours each week. Of those, more than one in five (22%) are working an additional 10 hours or more. Nearly a quarter (24%) say their work has been taking longer, and more worryingly, 25% have struggled to do their job effectively.
Adam Reynolds, CEO of Webexpenses states:
“These results show that inefficient processes and technology are directly reducing employee productivity at this critical time when teams need to be working efficiently to ensure the business survives.
“Many of the issues uncovered in our research can be easily addressed by the right business tools and technology, such as futureproofing employee kit, investing in training and support, and utilising widely available cloud tools.
“It looks like COVID-19 will bring a sharp focus from businesses to evaluate the suitability of the technology they have in place, which in turn should help drive them forward.”
For more information on how to automate your business expenses, travel, and invoice processing, visit www.webexpenses.com.
Jenny has been reporting on small business issues since 2001 where she held a number of freelance positions across the leading SME publications in the UK. Specialist subjects included SME financing and tax.