Companies slow to take up new comms tools
UK firms are shying away from social media that enable collaborative cultures to flourish.
Supplying basic tools
UK bosses
are slow to respond to technological innovations, according to recent
research. While large numbers of UK companies provide their workforce
with the basic tools, such as unrestricted use of paper printing (68%),
mobile phones (41%) and laptop PCs (37%), only a small minority
offer the newer, Generation Y-friendly collaborative working tools, such
as webcasts, blogs, video conferencing, or remote access to the internet
or e-mail.
Only 44% of UK executives say they currently collaborate online with their suppliers and partners for product and service development, and as many as 59% said they have no plans to post information on community sites or blogs.
Needs
of Generation Y not being met
The study, commissioned by Xerox and
undertaken by Forrester
Consulting,
shows that although the vast majority of European executives say they
recognize that young workers interact and use technology in a different
way to previous generations and have responded to their needs, the
findings tell a different story. It emerges that few businesses have
implemented the new tools or collaborative culture needed to allow this
generation to flourish and for them to benefit from the approach and
experience of younger adults.
The research was carried out among more than 1,600 business executives across 16 European countries, with in excess of 260 responses from the UK. Its results indicate that key business areas – such as employee working methods, as well as customer, supplier and partner collaboration and processes – are neglected and don't meet the needs of a generation that will represent a greater proportion of the workforce by 2010 than people born just after World War II.
Key business areas are neglected and don't meet the needs of a generation that will represent a greater proportion of the workforce by 2010.
Comparing Europe with the UK
The
study findings from the UK are in synch with those from across 15 other
European companies according to Forrester, with a few results slightly
more pronounced but still in keeping with the overall European trend.
For example, the UK emerges as slightly more supportive of employees working away from the office than other countries in Europe (82% in the UK, versus 67% in Europe). Plus 88% of executives in the UK recognize different working styles of the new generations, and 66% believe their companies have responded to these requirements.
Business sector differences
Looking
at the overall European findings, it emerges that some business sectors
are moving faster than others. Only 55% of respondents from financial
services industries said their companies have responded to new workforce
requirements.
Portugal emerges as the most Generation Y-friendly nation, with Finland the least.
The UK lags behind in Europe in responding to changing workforce requirements, with less than two thirds of respondents believing that their companies have responded to them, compared with over three quarters of organizations in Spain, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, France, Greece and Portugal. Portugal emerges as the most Generation Y-friendly nation, with Finland the least.
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