A whole year has passed since the government declared the UK was going into a national lockdown. So 1 year on what’s changed? In February of this year, the government published its “Roadmap out of lockdown” setting out its four-step plan back to normal life. The majority of people have June 21st marked firmly on their calendars and it is fair to say that many people around the country are excited and optimistic at the idea of eased restrictions and some sense of normality back in their lives.
The Coronavirus pandemic has dramatically changed the way in which we live and work. According to a new report, four out of five businesses believe the workplace will never be the same again. There has been a huge surge in demand for flexible workers throughout the crisis and many employers are now having conversations with their employees about creating a more dynamic and flexible workforce for the future.
Greater choice for employees
Pre-Covid-19, just 14.2% of the UK’s workforce said they work mainly from home. there was often a worry amongst employers that working from home would lead to a dip in productivity and damage team dynamics. However, 94% of employers have said productivity has stayed the same or improved since flexible working was introduced.
With just 8% of employees saying they’d like to work from home full-time, it’s clear there’s still a desire for office-based working, it seems that ‘hybrid’ working, where employees split their hours between the office and home may become the new normal amongst employees going forward.
Businesses lose around £434 billion every year due to workplace distractions, and remote/flexible workers are reported to be around 40% more productive than those permanently in the office. Being forced to work remotely has shown businesses the importance of communication and collaboration, however, 30% of employers said they were worried about maintaining their company culture if they moved to remote or hybrid working permanently.
Greater need for rewards and recognition in the workplace
Following the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, employees are facing increased levels of stress. 68% of organisations have added or increased at least one reward to help employees during the pandemic.
COVID-19 has accelerated the need for employers to acknowledge employees’ and praise them for their hard work. Whether employees are on furlough or your workplace is now remote it is vital to bring your company culture into a virtual space to ensure employees remain engaged and connected.
Here at Each Person, we know that it’s the employees that keep companies in business and when they are recognised and rewarded they work harder, smarter, and stick around longer. Each Person is a simple employee reward scheme that ensures employees feel appreciated and valued.
Our platform offers a range of rewards that cater to everyone, employees have the opportunity to choose from a range of rewards that they value using Epoints. Alternatively, we offer Ecards as a simple way to say thank you for your hard work as well as employee vouchers and gift cards that people can use across a range of online retailers.
To find out more about how Each Person can improve your perks at work, visit eachperson.com or contact us at [email protected].