Two-thirds of bosses still don’t trust employees to work remotely
24.08.2021

Two-thirds of bosses still don’t trust employees to work remotely

Yet amidst concerns around remote working, employees are considered as productive when working from home

Ricoh Europe, London, 24 August 2021 – New research released today by Ricoh Europe reveals that just 35% of employers trust their staff fully while working remotely, with 39% suggesting their people don’t work as hard or effectively as in the office. 

The research conducted by Opinion Matters for Ricoh Europe polled 1,500 decision makers across Europe. The findings come as many organisations consider their return-to-work policies and suggest that the pandemic has eroded confidence in a remote workforce. 

The waning trust amongst employers suggests they want workers to return to the office full time when coronavirus restrictions ease across the continent, rather than allowing workers to choose some form of hybrid working. Yet despite their concerns and diminishing trust, just 19% of employers say that productivity decreased since they transitioned to remote working. In addition, 57% think investing in flexible working technology is essential to attracting and retaining talent.

It’s clear that for many employees a full-time return isn’t something they’re comfortable with, as 42% of decision makers say their teams are worried about returning to the office when restrictions ease due to concerns about health and safety. A failure to acknowledge these concerns could not only impact morale but risk losing good people.

David Mills, CEO, Ricoh Europe, says: “Having an office-based workforce is vitally important to the success of our business, as it is for most across the continent. The office will never go away – not least as the undisputed environment for optimal productivity, ideation, and developing relationships with colleagues. The challenge for business leaders is to remain mindful that remote and hybrid working are two different things. It stands to reason that less commuting, a greater sense of flexibility, and having the trust of your manager are significant contributing factors to a more empowered and inspired workforce. This puts the onus on leaders to make their hybrid work model as successful as possible.” 

Nicola Downing, COO, Ricoh Europe, adds: “Whilst there are undoubtedly some tasks that gain from having everyone in the same room, it’s essential that employers recognise the evolving requirements of their talent pool. That means arming them with the tools that help increase collaboration, productivity, and enjoyment of work, regardless of whether they choose to be in the office part time or every day of the week. At Ricoh Europe, we have created a hybrid working policy where staff can opt to spend 50% of their time working from home and 50% of their time in the office. We’re proud to offer this as we support work-life balance and understand its importance to both existing and prospective employees in search of modern and flexible working.”

Click here to discover how Ricoh can help to empower your employees and enable hybrid working in your business.

|About Ricoh|

Ricoh is a leading provider of integrated digital services and print and imaging solutions designed to support digital transformation of workplaces, workspaces and optimize business performance.

Headquartered in Tokyo, Ricoh’s global operation reaches customers in approximately 200 countries and regions, supported by cultivated knowledge, technologies, and organizational capabilities nurtured over its 85-year history. In the financial year ended March 2023, Ricoh Group had worldwide sales of 2,134 billion yen (approx. 16.0 billion USD).

It is Ricoh’s mission and vision to empower individuals to find Fulfillment through Work by understanding and transforming how people work so we can unleash their potential and creativity to realize a sustainable future. 

For further information, please visit www.ricoh.com

For further information, please contact: 

Ricoh UK
Monika Orolinova
Tel: +44 20 7655 0100
Email: press@ricoh.co.uk


Read our insights at: insights.ricoh.co.uk
Homepage: www.ricoh.co.uk
Join us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ricohuk
Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ricohuk
Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ricoh-uk
Visit the Ricoh media centre at: https://www.ricoh.co.uk/news-events/news/index.html

© 2024 RICOH COMPANY, LTD. All rights reserved. All referenced product namesare the trademarks of their respective companies.