News | 10 Dec 2021

Researchers to investigate impact of working from home

Academics from Coventry University, in partnership with Vodafone, are investigating the impact of remote working on people with disabilities.

Coventry University and Vodafone are conducting research into the advantages and disadvantages of remote working for people with disabilities.

The Remote4All research project aims to understand how working from home can accommodate workers’ needs and well-being, while ensuring productivity is maintained.

The Remote4All research team will not only review existing academic research, but also conduct in-depth online interviews with employees and employers alike. The results will then be used to develop policies and best practice that all workplaces can use to become more inclusive.

In April 2020, at the height of the first lockdown in the UK, 46% of working adults were working from home according to figures from the Office for National Statistics. According to a YouGov survey conducted for the Trades Union Congress (TUC), nine-in-10 disabled office workers want to continue working remotely some of the time once the pandemic eases.

Dr Christine Grant, a researcher in the Centre for Healthcare Research at Coventry University, said: “There is a considerable lack of scientific knowledge about the advantages and disadvantages of remote e-working for individuals with disabilities. People with a disability and specific needs might be overlooked by employers, feel invisible and not valued as members of their work community.”

At the onset of the pandemic, Vodafone UK quickly shifted the vast majority of its workforce to remote working. The company has now embraced flexible ways of working for much of its staff, with many splitting their working hours between home and office. Some will only come into an office (or other physical location) as and when needed – for creative collaboration, meetings, team-building or if they don’t have the space to work at home.

Stay up-to-date with the latest news from Vodafone by following us on Twitter and signing up for News Centre website notifications.