European Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are failing a new generation of cloud workers, by not providing the sharing tools they need to do their jobs efficiently and effectively, research by Sharp Europe has suggested.
The survey of SME employees in UK, France, Germany, Sweden and Netherlands identified a clear ‘opportunity gap’ between what ‘Generation Cloud’ workers are demanding in the workplace and what is actually being provided by SMEs across Europe.
A recent Gartner study of large businesses also found that despite the cloud hype only a small proportion had moved towards cloud email or office systems; this despite the fact that the explosive growth in the number of mobile devices used by employees is driving demand for easy remote access. While Gartner’s report focused on big business, Sharp’s research shows that this is equally an issue for smaller businesses.
Peter Plested, director, European solutions business centre, Sharp Europe, said: "Whether business (large or small) likes it or not, employees are clearly driving for change in how we work, share, collaborate on and produce information. This is a cultural as well as a business process driven shift; and it is happening now."
He continued; "Generation Cloud isn’t waiting for employers to provide solutions to help them work this way – they are finding their own. European SMEs must sit up and recognise this shift to realise the benefits and not lose control of their own networks and corporate data – some of the most valuable assets for any business."
The survey identified the emergence of a new generation of worker within the SME sector across Europe. It indicated that employees are moving towards a more flexible, collaborative working model, whether employers are supportive of this or not, and an increasingly tangible demand for more collaborative, flexible working practices. 46% of employees think that the ability to work remotely is key to their job and 52% say this has become more important to them over the last 12 months.
Despite claims that businesses of all sizes are failing to implement effective cloud strategies, it would appear that employees are recognising the benefits this would bring; not only to team working and creativity but also to attracting the best talent and profitability. 55% agreed or strongly agreed that working collaboratively would help them make more informed decisions 60% and 61% said that it would lead to the production of higher quality work and more efficiency, respectively.
The survey shows however that the reality of service provision within the SME sector is far from the demands from Generation Cloud workers. By not fully embracing new ways of flexible and collaborative working, SMEs are not only failing to realise the business benefits it can bring, but are also losing control of their networks and potentially introducing vulnerabilities; the resulting increase in Bring Your Own Service (BYOS) means that employees are increasingly embracing non-corporate network services to do their jobs.
