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New research reveals the strange side effect of remote working
New research reveals the strange side effect of remote working
“I work with them every day – but I wouldn’t recognise them in Tesco”
It turns out working together every day doesn’t mean you’d recognise someone in real life. According to new research from online entertainment platform Slotozilla, a staggering 43% of Brits admit they wouldn’t confidently recognise one or more of their own colleagues if they passed them in public – despite regularly speaking to them on video calls.
The study lifts the lid on a bizarre but growing problem in post-pandemic work culture: the breakdown of real-world visual memory.
Key findings include:
- 43% said they wouldn’t be able to pick some colleagues out of a line-up
- 22% admitted they’ve already mistaken a co-worker for someone else in person – and just went along with it
- 1 in 3 said they’ve never seen their teammate’s full body on screen, only their head and shoulders
- 36% work in teams where the default is “camera off” – meaning they’ve never actually seen what people look like
- And worryingly, 64% said they’ve Googled or LinkedIn-searched a colleague before an in-person meeting – just to be sure they’d recognise them
“We’re all navigating this strange new era of digital familiarity,” said a spokesperson for Slotozilla, which often explores human behaviour in online environments. “It’s easy to feel like you know someone – but remove the screen, and that connection can vanish instantly. It’s like we’ve built entire relationships in 2D.”
Methodology: The survey was conducted by Slotozilla in May 2025 using an independent polling panel of 2,000 UK-based adults who work in remote or hybrid jobs. Participants were asked about their recognition of colleagues, video call habits, memory of visual cues, and whether they’ve experienced awkward in-person moments after months of digital-only contact.
Failing to adapt and offer flexibility to employees leads to burnout
Failing to adapt and offer flexibility to employees leads to burnout
Companies that fail to adapt and offer flexibility to their employees can lead to long-term decline, finds new research by Aalto University School of Business. The study, conducted by researcher Nikolina Koporcic-Nietola and her colleagues, explored the effects of a static approach on companies and found that it leads to employee burnout.
Employees of companies that are stagnant can experience emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and a diminished sense of personal accomplishment. These symptoms can lead to decreased productivity, increased absenteeism, and higher turnover rates, ultimately affecting a company’s performance and bottom line.
“Effective burnout management depends heavily on leadership empathy, open communication, and a supportive organisational culture. Leaders play a pivotal role in shaping the mental health of employees and facilitating burnout prevention and reintegration,” says Nikolina Koporcic-Nietola.
Burnout is a progressive condition that requires proactive measures to avoid compromising employee health and organisational performance. By managing burnout effectively, companies can, not only improve employee well-being but also maintain business competitiveness, reduce turnover, and ensure long-term organisational success.
The study was published in the Industrial Marketing Management Journal.
OUT TODAY – May 2025 Issue of Hr NETWORK Magazine
OUT TODAY – May 2025 Issue of Hr NETWORK Magazine
STRATEGIC WORKFORCE PLANNING: Transforming turbulence into tailwinds
Future-proofing your team so it’s fit for the modern business landscape depends on Strategic Workforce Planning (SWP). But how do HR practitioners get the best value from it? Andy Moore discovers why the “strategic” part is so important…
Also in the latest issue:
- NOMINATIONS PREVIEW for Hr NETWORK National Awards 2025
- Keynote Speakers CONFIRMED for Hr NETWORK National Conference & Exhibition 2025
- The regular sections of the magazine include: News, STATS and EXTRA
- The ‘Insights’ section features first class comment from those in the know on a range of subjects including: Financial Wellbeing; Gender Balance; The Workforce Readiness Gap; Social Media Monitoring
Learning, Skills, Engagement, Talent Management & Development the focus at this years’ Hr NETWORK Conference 2025
Learning, Skills, Engagement, Talent Management & Development the focus at this years’ Hr NETWORK Conference 2025
The Hr NETWORK ‘LEARN. SKILLS. ENGAGE. TALENT. Conference and Exhibition 2025 will take place on Thursday 15th May at the magnificent Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh and the Conference Planning Team has pulled together a wonderful selection of Keynote speakers from across the people landscape.
LEARN. SKILLS. ENAGE. TALENT.
Empowering growth through learning, skills, engagement and talent management has long been the perfect blend for a thriving workforce. In today’s fast moving and constantly evolving workplace, continuous learning is the cornerstone of organisational success.
The conference themes will explore how fostering a culture of learning can enhance employees’ skills, resulting in a highly engaged, motivated and talented workforce. By prioritising learning and development, organisations not only equip their teams to tackle future challenges but also nurture and retain the invaluable talent within their ranks.
Keynote speakers include Emma Simpson, Group People Director at Gleneagles & Estelle plus Katy Miller, Director of People & Development at Police Scotland.
Delegate package includes:
- 6 Keynote Speakers
- Networking & Exhibitor Area
- Lunch & Refreshments
- Delegate Bag and Goodies
- Official Conference Programme
- Delegate List
Full terms & conditions for booking are available on request and the booking form is available at the link below: https://www.hrnetworkjobs.com/events/conference/
Delegate Cost: £195+VAT
Please note the Early Bird booking discount is no longer available and from 1st March 2025, the cost per delegate is £195+VAT.
Group bookings available – Details available on request
Please note that costs quoted include full access to the Keynote sessions, Exhibitor area plus lunch and refreshments on the day.
Proactive disability managers are essential to making disabled workers feel included
Proactive disability managers are essential to making disabled workers feel included
Disability managers are essential to stopping ableism in the workplace, as organisations often do not fully enforce disability laws, finds new research by emlyon business school. The study, conducted by Lisa Buchter (Professor of sociology at emlyon business school), explored how disability managers with openly activist agendas attempted to identify and dismantle workplace ableism.
They found that disability laws were often only partially implemented in organisations, and that disability managers are a necessity for deconstructing ableist representations and practices in the workplace. Proactive disability managers helped people to understand the law, stressed the need for recruitment over communication, highlighted relevant accommodations, and provided approaches to deconstruct ableism – diffusing it to all in the organization through training, awareness campaigns, and policies.
Furthermore, the study revealed that several of these proactive disability managers were themselves disabled and relied on their own disclosure to create trust with disabled workers and deconstruct ableist representations and practices from co-workers.
“Despite disability laws being introduced, most companies still do not meet the quota of disabled workers in France. This, in part, stemmed from limited recruitment of people with disabilities and from the failure of organizations to accommodate and retain workers whose disabilities worsened over time. My research sheds light on the need to act at different levels to address the various forms of ableism and emphasises the importance of disability managers to engage in this important work,” says Lisa Buchter.
The research also revealed that some disability managers use their own disability status as a resource to negotiate their positions within the organisation, as they have more knowledge and expertise, and are able to relate to others more effectively. As they have personally experienced how disability stigma can negatively affect careers, their own fears over promotions and experiences with micro-aggressions, disability managers who are disabled themselves go above and beyond to make their companies truly inclusive, according to the researcher.
The study was published in the Journal of Business Ethics.
Workers still face barriers a year on from flexible working law
Workers still face barriers a year on from flexible working law
Nearly one in three (28%) workers who have requested flexible working say their request was refused because of employer fears about their productivity, despite nearly seven in 10 (68%) workers believing they would be more efficient if they worked flexibly by having control over their working hours and location of work, new research has revealed.
One year on from the introduction of the Flexible Working Act – which granted the right to request flexible working from day one – the research from Phoenix Group, one of the UK’s largest long-term savings and retirement businesses, has shown more workers are taking advantage of flexible arrangements, but many still face significant barriers.
It found that while over one in five (21%) who engage in discussion regarding flexible working requests had successfully applied to work flexibly in the past year, the same number have had requests denied (21%) by their current or previous employer, with challenges around awareness, employer engagement and perceptions around productivity.
While flexibility at work can mean different things to different people Phoenix Insights research found that 62% of workers wanted flexibility over their hours worked and 43% wanted flexibility over where they worked – revealing a disconnect between worker and employer wants and needs.
Other reasons for requests being denied included workers feeling their employer doesn’t believe in flexibility (27%), business needs outweighing flexibility (24%) and a lack of resources to support flexible work arrangements (21%).
Most workers have not changed their working arrangements since the law came into force. Less than one-in-six (15%) workers have made changes, with over three quarters (78%) continuing under their existing arrangements. Among those who have adapted their work patterns, the most common change has been working full-time with the option to work remotely (57%), with men (65%) more likely than women (45%) to have made this adjustment.
Despite the law making it easier for employees to request flexible working, awareness remains a key challenge. Over half (55%) of workers do not know what the Flexible Working Act entitles them to, while over a third (36%) say their employer or manager has never proactively mentioned it.
Sara Thompson, Chief People Officer at Phoenix Group, comments: “The introduction of the Flexible Working Act is an important tool to help workers balance their jobs with other responsibilities and interests outside of work. It’s therefore disappointing that many are facing barriers with some employers worried about how flexibility could impact on a worker’s productivity. As the demand for flexibility grows, it is in employers’ best interests to engage proactively with their workforce and, where possible, to enable their workers to work in a flexible way, alongside managing business needs.
“Those businesses that fail to embrace flexible working risk losing talent, particularly among parents, carers, and older workers who can benefit most from greater flexibility. At Phoenix, we have fostered an environment where flexible working is the norm. Through facilitating more and better discussions, employers can tap into the potential of a diverse workforce, with flexibility having a positive impact on colleague engagement and also, ultimately helping people stay in employment for as long as they want and need while saving for their futures.”