BT Claim Investing in UK Connectivity Could Offset Sick Leave for Businesses

A new study from broadband ISP BT Business has today claimed that businesses could gain “an extra nine days of productivity per employee” by 2030 through boosting investment in UK connectivity, which might potentially offset the 9.4 days of sick leave each employee is estimated to take annually (almost double pre-pandemic levels).

The ‘Future Unlocked‘ report suggests technology and strategic investment can help businesses tackle burnout, while also potentially unlocking £179bn in UK economic value between 2025 and 2030. A total of 243,000 jobs are currently said to be supported annually by connectivity investments.

The “report“, which seems to be more of a vague high-level survey, calls for the connected technology businesses use in the workplace to be upgraded, although it’s quite vague on the details. The results stem from an Opinion research survey, which was conducted with 2,000 employees in four sectors (retail, banking & finance, healthcare and the public sector) to assess employee expectations on the future of workplace technologies.

On top of that, they also surveyed 2,000 consumers to assess the future expectations of the digital experiences with the organisations they interact with. But there’s naturally an element of vested interest here, with BT Business being keep to entice customers toward their own solutions.

Key Findings

➤ Mental health accounted for 41% of long-term absences and a third of short-term leave.

➤ 79% of employees report moderate-to-high levels of stress at work.

➤ 1 in 4 employees say they have quit, or at least considered it, due to tech frustrations in the workplace.

➤ 71% of UK workers think innovations like AI will drive efficiency in the workplace, while 66% believe it will help them improve their work-life balance.

➤ 97% of C-Suite leaders in finance believe nearly half of tasks will be automated by 2030, two in five within retail describe their current workplace systems as “basic”.

➤ 7% of UK employees view their workplace technology as leading edge, while 77% believe their employers must radically step up training and upskilling to prepare for the AI revolution.

➤ 97% of senior finance leaders report positive experiences with workplace technology, yet 59% say they have not received enough training to make the most of tools like AI, and 44% of lower management fear it could take their job.

➤ C-Suite retail leaders expect AI and automation to help them claw back an average of 11 hours a week in efficiency savings by 2030. On the shop floor, however, 19% of retail workers have considered quitting due to tech frustrations, such as insufficient training on new systems, outdated devices, and unreliable connectivity.

➤ The shift from analogue to digital is a cornerstone of the NHS 10 Year Plan and 60% of healthcare workers back their organisation to be future-ready by 2030. However, staff report losing 5 hours a week on average to disconnected or unreliable tools and 23% of worker says they left or are considering leaving their organisation due to IT frustrations.

Chris Sims, Chief Commercial Officer at BT Business, said: “Unlocking productivity gains across the business community is one of the biggest challenges we face if we’re to deliver sustained economic growth nationwide. We live in an increasingly digital age; only by embracing modern technologies such as AI & the cloud, and enabling them with fast, secure and reliable connectivity, will we see a healthy productivity boost.”