A new survey from SD Worx - provider of global payroll and HR services - has looked into the extent of the digitisation of the workplace. The result showed that UK employees cannot do enough basic HR admin tasks on mobile devices. On average, only 12 per cent of HR admin tasks are possible on mobile devices only - and 49 per cent are still completed offline.

Of the tasks that can currently be undertaken electronically, 14 per cent request leave electronically only, whilst 30 per cent still submit non-digitally. A further 13 per cent complete the job through both fixed and mobile devices and 43 per cent by fixed devices only. This was found to be the most popular administrative task to be completed digitally.

Only 13 per cent of UK employees submit expenses on a mobile only and 40 per cent still submit expenses non-electronically.

Employees not working digitally spend too long on HR admin tasks, preventing them from completing more valuable work - and ultimately having a negative impact on employee engagement.

Employees were shown to want to do more HR admin digitally, with the UK scoring highest for those wanting digital HR tasks. The survey also showed that what people have the option to undertake digitally is different according to their work location. Out of the countries surveyed, Germany was found to score lower across all categories, with the UK and the Netherlands coming out on top across the activities that employees can currently do digitally.

Of those surveyed in the UK, 59 per cent can submit expenses online, compared to only 33 per cent in Germany where employees appear to be the least concerned out of the six countries surveyed. Where requesting and arranging business travel is concerned, 55 per cent of UK employees are able to do it digitally – but only 36 per cent in Belgium.

In general, the UK had the highest number of respondents wanting the ability to do more tasks digitally at work, suggesting that the more access they have to carry out work electronically, the more they want to see these options increase in the workplace.

Brenda Morris, Managing Director of SD Worx UKI stated:

“Nearly all areas of our lives have been changed by technology. While it’s been the case in our personal lives for some time now, in some instances it’s been slow to take hold in the workplace. As seen in this report, employees want to be able to carry out basic HR admin on mobile but they are not always given the opportunity to do so. In order to keep employees engaged and productive, it is vital for employers to listen to these concerns and adapt to this new way of working.”