Its research found that the majority (56 percent) of employees say poor tech causes them to feel stressed.
But even worse is the number of staff who say that they are willing to leave because of it – more than one in ten (11 percent) say this makes them want to leave their job.
This shocking finding comes as companies struggle to retain staff and the right skills amid the ‘great resignation’, as people reassess their priorities in a post Covid world.
Workplace frustrations
The Freshworks findings also published during a global shift to hybrid working, which has for many organisations resulted in a big surge in technology investments as businesses adjust their operating models.
The Freshworks research found that almost half (49 percent) of employees are considering changing jobs.
It found that easy to use technology is now an essential driver of employee satisfaction, as almost one in five employees considering changing jobs blames lack of innovative tech (19 percent) at their company.
A further 56 percent of respondents report that poor tech causes them to feel stressed.
More worryingly, almost half of employees (47 percent) say technology issues at work is having a negative impact on their mental health.
The Freshworks findings suggest hiring and retention strategies across the UK are missing the mark, as only salary (45 percent) and lack of career opportunities/advancement (32 percent) rank above poor workplace technology (31 percent) when it comes to the causes of job dissatisfaction.
The next biggest culprits after poor workplace tech, are poor communication with their team (30 percent), their managers (22 percent), poor benefits packages i.e. holiday entitlement (21 percent), and their co-workers (18 percent).
Technology role
Freshworks points to the stark reality of technology’s role in the battle for skills and talent, which is quickly becoming recognised by business leaders.
Indeed 81 percent of whom claim staff have higher expectations of technology to be easier to use since the pandemic, and over three quarters (76 percent) acknowledge that employees will consider looking for a new employer if their current job does not provide access to the tools, technology or information they need to do their jobs well.
In fact, 70 percent of UK workers say if their company invested in more effective technology it would enhance their job satisfaction.
Inadequate workplace technology is not just impacting the employee experience, it is also harming the wider business. The Freshworks’ survey revealed that dated tech is restricting business productivity, as frustrated employees grapple with daily IT challenges.
Two thirds (65 percent) of unsatisfied UK employees say their current software makes them less productive. Top complaints included slow speeds (60 percent), extended response times from IT teams (43 percent), lack of collaboration between departments (29 percent), missing important features/capabilities (22 percent) and lack of automation (19 percent).
Staff investment
Ensuring workplace systems and tech is up to scratch is thus becoming a vital issue, as the average cost of hiring a new staff member in the UK now stand at around £3,000.
It would seem logical therefore that the board of directors would recognise the value of improving technology to directly support employees in their roles, in order to protect their investment in people.
Unfortunately the reality is very different, as the Freshworks research found that 52 percent of UK line of business leaders claim their Boards are failing to listen or respond to new hybrid demands.
Indeed for many managers, the stress caused by navigating a hybrid working world is making 47 percent of business leaders want to leave the tech industry.
“These findings suggest that performance of the technology provided to employees has a significant impact on their happiness at work,” said Simon Johnson, UK & Ireland general manager at Freshworks.
Simon Johnson, UK & Ireland general manager at Freshworks
“Despite businesses making rapid changes to the way we work, employees are still facing widespread failures from the workplace technology they use every day,” said Johnson. “This technological inertia couldn’t come at a worse time, as organisations all over Europe are battling to keep a handle on both talent shortages and economic uncertainty, creating threats on two fronts.”