Time for businesses to embrace the future of work as European employees call for asynchronous working and new approach to office use, report finds

• Two-fifths (42%) of employees surveyed believe asynchronous work is the future but 58% don’t believe their company has the tools needed to support, making them unfit for the future of work
• Employees still long for in-person connection as almost half (48%) go into the office to collaborate with colleagues
• Over a third (35%) of people agree asynchronous working would result in more purposeful and less distracting communication

31st May 2022, Weybridge, UK – European office employees call for a shift to asynchronous working, but a lack of sufficient technology tools & solutions and trust halts this change. New research commissioned by Sony Professional Displays & Solutions found half of office workers surveyed across the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Poland want employers to offer the flexibility to work asynchronously, with two in five (42%) believing this is the future of work.

Over a third of people (35%) feel asynchronous working – which allows people on the same team to work at different times, in contrast to the traditional 9 to 5 – would result in more purposeful and less distracting communication. This brings greater flexibility and responsibility, freeing up time for more impactful work when employees are online or in the office at the same time.

Whilst three in five (61%) employees agree that asynchronous work would create a better work-life balance, the majority (58%) doesn’t believe their company has the tools needed to enable asynchronous working, making them unfit for the future of work. Additionally, over half (55%) don’t believe their employer would trust them to work the hours that suit them best, even under the provision of delivering results and meeting deadlines.

As the office continues to play an important role for employees, the survey uncovers almost two-thirds (58%) don’t strongly agree their office is well-equipped with the technology tools & solutions to enable everyone to work at their best. Though one in three (31%) employees across Europe go into the office to use better technology, companies can do more to ensure their employees have access to all the right tools and solutions to be tech hub for useful software and hardware.
The findings indicate overall that the office plays an important role in the future of work. However, it should be used as a hub to encourage collaboration, with asynchronous work as a model to promote flexibility and work-life balance.

When thinking about the future of work, employees feel that having a “people-first” approach is most important (39%), as well as having the latest tools and technology to enable remote and flexible working (39%) and asynchronous working (35%). To succeed, businesses need to ensure they invest in the right technology tools but also align their policy to reflect the expectations of a modern office employee who wants to make the best of both the office environment and the flexibility of remote working.

Adam Dover, Trade & Segment Marketing Manager, Sony Professional Displays and Solutions:

“Sony sees asynchronous work as a great opportunity for the future of work, creating a more efficient workplace and a healthier workforce. By combining greater worker autonomy and access to the latest technologies, companies can ensure they set their employees up for success. Businesses today have access to a wide range of support and technology solutions, like those provided by Sony, to ensure they are able to keep up with societal changes and new trends that influence the workplace.”

Sony helps organisations unlock the potential of every team member through innovative, easy to use, and highly scalable solutions for the changing workplace. Staff can communicate, meet, and collaborate in a more effective, engaging, and productive fashion with TEOS, a suite of workplace management solutions allowing for flexible and remote meeting room bookings, saving on wasted space and time. TEOS can be partnered with BRAVIA 4K Professional Displays delivering superb 4K resolution HDR image quality, business-focused features, and flexible integration.