A new survey commissioned by Cellnex UK has uncovered that a lack of reliable mobile connectivity in the office is affecting seven in ten (70 per cent) hybrid workers surveyed.
This issue has forced 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 almost two thirds of those surveyed (61 per cent) calling on employers to increase investment in office mobile connectivity.
The recent survey of 2,000 UK hybrid workers has revealed 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, more than half (55 per cent) of those surveyed reported 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.
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 businesses can expect to not only increase productivity, but also create a more collaborative and less stressful work environment for their employees."
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.