FMJ Facilities Management magazine providing industry-specific intelligence to FM and property professionals
A lack of reliable mobile connectivity in the office is affecting seven in 10 (70 per cent) hybrid workers, finds a new survey commissioned by telecom infrastructure provider, Cellnex UK, forcing the majority of employees to leave their office building simply to make a phone call (60 per cent), with reports of decreased productivity (74 per cent) and increased stress levels (72 per cent) as a result.
Most of the UK has access to strong mobile signal in their home and local community, yet these latest findings indicate that buildings are proving a barrier to workers receiving this service in the office. Many hybrid workers are looking to their organisations to address this, with nearly two thirds of those surveyed (61 per cent) calling on their employers to increase investment in office mobile connectivity.
The recent survey of 2,000 UK hybrid workers reveals that slow internet speeds (40 per cent), weak mobile network signal (39 per cent) and dealing with areas in the office which have poor or no mobile coverage (36 per cent) are the top connectivity issues faced. In fact, over a quarter (27 per cent) of those experiencing connectivity issues experience this on average two to three days per week.
With many of today’s office buildings consisting of thick concrete or stone walls, brick and steel structures and an increased use of metallised-glass, over half (55 per cent) of those surveyed report that their mobile connection is better at home than the office. According to the findings, the top three problem areas at work with weaker mobile signal include office stairwells, meeting rooms and communal spaces such as kitchens or break rooms.
The majority of those surveyed (86 per cent) also stated that they believe reliable mobile connectivity plays an important role in job performance. Poor mobile connectivity would also deter 68 per cent of hybrid workers surveyed from coming into the office, and 40 per cent stated they have considered changing jobs due to persistent mobile connectivity issues.
Edmund Wilkinson, Head of Sales for In-Building solutions from Cellnex UK said: “These findings emphasise that many office buildings across the country are not yet fit for purpose when it comes to facilitating the needs of a modern workforce and we must ensure that our infrastructure is suitably upgraded to meet demand.
“In today’s increasingly digital world, reliable mobile connectivity is essential for productivity and employee wellbeing. By addressing these issues facilities managers can expect to not only increase productivity, but also create a more collaborative and less stressful work environment for their employees.”
