Flexi work more important than ever, but SA bosses want their teams in the office - survey

[Jopie Fourie]

Flexible working conditions are increasingly becoming a necessity, but there must be a cultural mind shift in order to create an enabling environment, a survey has shown.

Research by US-based software company Citrix, released on Thursday, shows that while over 90% of respondents believe technology can increase employee productivity, only 59% of employers are looking to use it to offer a flexible working environment for their employees.

And while 58% of managers believe they themselves are more productive when they can work flexibly, 80% believe employees are more productive in a central office environment than working remotely.

Citrix commissioned the survey, conducted by research firm OnePoll, to investigate the relationship between employee productivity, flexible working opportunities and the use of technology. A total of 250 IT department heads across SA organisations in multiple sectors were surveyed.

According to the research findings, SA businesses have preferred employees working from offices, mainly due to a "lack of trust" between management and their employees.

There was a disconnect between respondents' views on their own productivity in a flexible environment versus employees' productivity in a flexible environment, the research noted.

"Nearly a third (32%) say that they work at the same level of productivity whether working flexibly or within an office during normal office hours, and only 7% say they are less productive when they work flexibly," the report read.

Flexi work more important than ever, but SA bosses want their teams in the office - survey | Fin24

There is a "lack of trust" between management and their employees.

www.fin24.com

 

[Jopie Fourie]

According to the research findings, SA businesses have preferred employees working from offices, mainly due to a "lack of trust" between management and their employees.

Cool.

 

[Excalibur]

SA businesses are dinosaurs.

 

[Lupus]

SA businesses are dinosaurs.

Agreed, I mean how many developers actually need to be in the office?

 

[ToxicBunny]

Agreed, I mean how many developers actually need to be in the office?

More than developers... many people don't actually need to be in an office...

But as has been said SA Businesses are dinosaurs in this regard.... and expect their slaves to be in the office from 8 to 5... regardless of if its productive for them or not. I get more done in 4 hours at home than I can generally manage inside an office because of the constant interruptions...

 

[Lupus]

More than developers... many people don't actually need to be in an office...

But as has been said SA Businesses are dinosaurs in this regard.... and expect their slaves to be in the office from 8 to 5... regardless of if its productive for them or not. I get more done in 4 hours at home than I can generally manage inside an office because of the constant interruptions...

Yup, every time I've worked from home I've managed to get more done, even with having to let in contractors, there are no meetings, no people walking to my desk and the distance to the kitchen is further for coffee . I'm sure that adds up over the course of the day.

 

[ToxicBunny]

Yup, every time I've worked from home I've managed to get more done, even with having to let in contractors, there are no meetings, no people walking to my desk and the distance to the kitchen is further for coffee . I'm sure that adds up over the course of the day.

Oh I have the meetings, but they're all teleconferences so of course its monumentally easier to multitask at that point... and yeah the coffee is much further at work.....

 

[Excalibur]

Agreed, I mean how many developers actually need to be in the office?

Even Sys Admins and Network Engineers can work remotely.

 

[Alton Turner Blackwood]

Yup, every time I've worked from home I've managed to get more done, even with having to let in contractors, there are no meetings, no people walking to my desk and the distance to the kitchen is further for coffee . I'm sure that adds up over the course of the day.

My problem is my wife is a stay at home mom so I get interrupted endlessly.

 

[Mista_Mobsta]

I manage to work from home without too many issues (banking industry)
Biggest issues are:
I can't reliably call (VOIP or otherwise) my international clients without paying out my behind
Power failures happen more and more and company won't sponsor (logical of course) any UPS/generator etc
Company (internationally speaking) red tape with regards to remote access to servers

 

[konfab]

SA businesses are dinosaurs.

Dinosaurs ruled the earth for millions of years

 

[Smokey888]

Whenever I have a late meeting, I tend to go home and do a VC from there, in order to miss trafic etc. With a stable internet connection, you don't even realize you are not in the same room as the rest of the participants.

 

[KingBel]

As a social media manager, I can do my work from absolutely anywhere.. my other roles not so much.. but easily solved with VPN access.. Have often raised this possibility with management, but the answer is the predictable "If I let you do it, then I will have to let everyone work from home as well".. Trust is a luxury.

 

[Lupus]

Even Sys Admins and Network Engineers can work remotely.

Yup I know, did so when I worked in those roles. But managements arguments are but what if a server dies and you're at home? My answer is what if the server dies and I'm at home and it's not office hours? I get in my car and drive to fix it.

 

[Ancalagon]

As much as I think the freedom to work from home is a good thing, I will have to admit that I get more done in the office than at home.

At home, I have no distractions. If I have the right task, and the right level of interest in the task, I can knock it out. Just be really productive and get stuff done.

But usually that doesn't happen, and I'm less productive at home than in the office. I just have to be honest!

 

[Lupus]

My problem is my wife is a stay at home mom so I get interrupted endlessly.

Same, but if I work from home I go to the study and put on a podcast, there are advantages like my coffee gets delivered to me

 

[Cius]

So glad my boss is the exception to the rule. He is more than happy for us to do flexi time (as in pick our work hours) and when it makes sense work from home. I currently dev better at my desk at the office with my big screens but if I am doing research I on something I prefer to work at home free from distractions. I am allowed to do that provided I have no face to face meetings set up obviously. Skype meetings I do from home.

 

[pinball wizard]

As much as I think the freedom to work from home is a good thing, I will have to admit that I get more done in the office than at home.

What would be nice and appropriate though, is if SA bosses would get out of the middle ages and give employees the choice.

 

[Lupus]

What would be nice and appropriate though, is if SA bosses would get out of the middle ages and give employees the choice.

Oh the other argument I heard, is that if you work from home they'd have to adjust your salary as a part of that is given for fuel and maintenance on the cars, sigh.

 

[ToxicBunny]

Oh the other argument I heard, is that if you work from home they'd have to adjust your salary as a part of that is given for fuel and maintenance on the cars, sigh.

Well thats a new one for me... but not unexpected from SA damagement.