One-third of UK workforce feel unsupported by employers

Almost one third of workers in the UK feel unsupported by their employer while working from home, new research has shown.

Some 30% of people questioned in a Techscheme by Blackhawk Network survey said they are not happy with the support they have received as a remote worker. In addition to this only 32% of employees believe that their current workplace benefits are appropriate for working at home, while 54% believe they need changing.

The biggest frustration employees face with working from home is the lack of face-to-face communications (41%), which increases to 58% amongst boomers and decreases when compared with Generation Z (32%).

Issues with technology (29%) was the second most frustrating aspect of remote working for all age groups. Gen Z struggled the most to achieve a work life balance when remote working (31%), with only 12% of boomers facing the same issue.

The research also found that our priorities are changing in the midst of the pandemic, with 30% of employees believing their next technology purchase is more important than next year’s summer holiday, getting fit with a gym membership (47%) or dining out at their favourite restaurant (38%).

READ MORE: How to keep remote workers engaged and happy

Chris Ronald, Blackhawk Network VP for EMEA, incentives & benefits, said: “Whilst many business executives have felt powerless to help their employees during difficult times of economic uncertainty, there are simple solutions that already exist. Our research has shown that people have been battling to keep up with the demands for technology, which we know are a necessity for our remote working and home lives.

He added: “Be under no illusion, tough economic and social times are going to be with us longer than coronavirus. As a nation, we need to test ourselves to find creative responses and drive innovation as part of the recovery. However, employers can play a big part in making life a little easier in 2021 for their employees, sometimes we just need to leverage and promote what exists today.”

The survey was conducted among 2001 employees within the UK, who have worked from home more this year than expected. The interviews were conducted online by Sapio Research in October 2020.

It comes as economists at Deutsche Bank proposed that working from home should be taxed.

The German multinational investment lender suggested using the funds to help support workers whose jobs are under threat.

Their new report suggests a tax of 5% could be applied to an employee's salary if they choose to work from home. The tax would be paid by employers and used to generate income to support people who cannot work from home.

Deutsche Bank calculates the tax would generate a pot of £6.9bn ($9.2bn) a year in the UK which could be converted into £2,000 ($2,658) a year grants for low-income workers and those under threat of redundancy.

If implemented in the US the scheme could earn $48bn (£36bn).

Watch: What is the Job Support Scheme and how has it changed?