Your staff would quit for a job with better technology

Not only are complex and time-consuming online application processes the biggest roadblocks to attracting candidates, it turns out that your current set of employees could be lured to a new job offering better technology.

One quarter of employees globally said they would consider taking a new position if it provided better technology for them to be more productive. Employees in the media and entertainment sector are most likely to quit over poor technology, according to a study by Dell and Intel.

Seventy-six per cent of staff admit technology has had an influence on the way they work over the past year, while almost half (46%) believe it has increased their productivity and enabled them to communicate faster.

A huge 81% say performance is the top criteria that determines what they want in their work device.

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However, the desktop PC remains the primary business device for 62% of the 5,000 employees surveyed for the 2014 Dell Global Evolving Workforce Study, with the highest use reported in financial services, public healthcare, and government. For personal purposes, mobile forms of technology dominate, with laptops and tablets being used more than when working in the office.

At the same time, the office continues to the primary place of work, with 97% spending at least some time behind a desk. This varies from 32 hours per week in developed countries, and 26 hours per week for employees in emerging markets.

Employees do report working remotely, averaging four hours per week at an external location, such as a client’s office, and another five hours per week working from home. One in every three spends two hours per week working from public places, such as coffee shops.

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Perceptions of at-home workers were optimistic, where half of employees (52%) believed those working from home are just as productive or more productive than those in the office. However, this was not the case in China, where four out of 10 employees perceived home workers to be less productive.

Working from home does have its benefits though - 30% slept more, 40% drove less, and 46% of employees felt less stressed.

In tune with this, the report also found a significant concern from distractions in the office. Office-based employees felt they work best at their desk (76%), yet almost half (48%) admitted to being frequently interrupted.

As a result, almost one in five wear headphones in the office.

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