Boosting connectivity could effectively offset the 9.4 sick days the average UK worker takes each year. That’s the bold statement headlining BT’s Future Unlocked report, which has found that better digital infrastructure and adoption of connected technology could help companies counter lost output while improving employee wellbeing and retention.
The report highlights retail, finance, and healthcare as the sectors most likely to benefit from enhanced connectivity, with technology set to play a decisive role in reducing inefficiency and workplace stress.
According to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), UK workers took an average of 9.4 days of sick leave in 2023 — nearly double pre-pandemic levels. Mental health was cited as a factor in 41% of long-term absences and a third of short-term leave, underscoring the link between health and productivity.
The Future Unlocked study also connects better tech to improved employee experience: three in four UK workers believe tools like AI will increase their productivity, while two in three think it will support better work-life balance. Yet one in four employees said they had quit, or considered leaving, due to frustrations with workplace technology.
“Unlocking productivity gains across the business community is one of the biggest challenges we face if we’re to deliver sustained economic growth nationwide,” said Chris Sims, Chief Commercial Officer at BT Business. “Only by embracing modern technologies such as AI and the cloud, and enabling them with fast, secure, and reliable connectivity, will we see a healthy productivity boost.”
Sims added that “innovation and automation can empower teams to deliver their best work efficiently, which boosts retention and job satisfaction,” noting that investment in connectivity over the next five years will be critical to business performance and employee engagement.
The study found that only 7% of UK workers consider their workplace technology to be “leading edge,” while 77% believe their employers must accelerate training and upskilling to prepare for an AI-enabled future.
Sector data revealed significant variation in readiness:
- In finance, 97% of senior leaders reported positive experiences with workplace technology, but three in five frontline staff said they had not received sufficient training to use AI tools effectively.
- In retail, C-suite executives expect AI and automation to deliver an average of 11 hours in weekly efficiency gains by 2030, yet nearly one in five retail workers have considered leaving due to poor tech infrastructure.
- In healthcare, three in five staff believe their organisation will be “future ready” by 2030, though many still lose up to five hours weekly to disconnected or unreliable tools.
The findings coincide with the UK Government’s Keep Britain Working Review, supported by BT, which calls for a shared responsibility between employers, employees, and health services to improve wellbeing at work.
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