The coronavirus pandemic has meant the country has gone into a nationwide lockdown to help reduce the spread of the disease. With the government stating that “employers should make every effort to support working from home”, many people across Manchester are now operating from their kitchen, spare room or any other quiet spot then can find in the house.
It’s fair to say that working from home presents many different opportunities and challenges. Staff from all different industries are having to adapt to new processes and ways of working, many of which they haven’t experienced before.
So, how are people finding working from home? And what exactly do they miss about their workplace? Instantprint, a specialist printing business supplying posters, businesses cards, leaflets and more, did a survey of 1000 UK adults to find out. Here, we take a look at what the participants based in Manchester had to say.
What do Manchester workers miss most about their workplace?
In the top spot is the general office environment, with 35% of Manchester-based participants saying this is what they missed the most while working from home. Interestingly, the same amount of people said that they didn’t actually expect to miss the office environment. Perhaps being based from home highlights the benefits that the buzz, structure and routine of office life bring.
Following this, 31 % of workers missed the people, while 28% missed small talk the most, showing how important social interaction is during our working day. Luckily, we’re living in an era where communication is literally at our fingertips – and can text, ring or video chat a colleague in mere seconds to keep in touch. While this isn’t the same as seeing everyone in person each day, it does give us the opportunity to keep communication flowing with our friends from work.
Which phrases do Manchester workers hate the most since working from home?
Well, it turns out that abbreviations aren’t a big hit among Manchester workers. The survey reveals that the most hated phrase is “the ‘Rona”, followed by “WFH” – with 33% and 29% of participants respectively saying they disliked these abbreviations. It’s probably best to stick to full words when you send out your next email, then…
Closely following these phrases were emails that mention “these worrying / uncertain / unprecedented times…” (28%), the word “furlough” (24%) and the phrase “the new normal” (22%).
So, how productive do workers in Manchester feel at home?
Well, the survey shows that nearly half of workers think they work the same number of hours now they’re operating from home. 14% even state they’re even more productive than they would be in the workplace, saying they’re working a lot more.
On the flip side, more than a third admit they work much less at home and shockingly, 2% say they don’t work at all and get away with it.
What are people most likely to be distracted by during work hours?
There are a few things that workers in Manchester admit to doing in work hours which they probably shouldn’t. The most common was having a nap, with a third of respondents saying they’ve caught up on some Z’s during their working day. 26% of participants also said that they spend time doing household chores or catching up with friends and family.
In addition, nearly a quarter of those surveyed said they had run errands like popping to the shop or spent time cooking or baking. The temptation to whip up some tasty treats in the kitchen is perhaps unsurprising when an article by The Guardian said that one of the fastest-growing categories in the UK in mid-April was baking goods, up by 49.3%.
Do you miss your workplace? Or do you prefer working from home?
