- Office life today unrecognisable from the way we worked a mere 25 years ago
- Britain now a nation of hybrid workers with an increasing reliance on mobile devices as the workforce adapts to the new office norm
- The study uncovered office workers’ multi-tasking habits with over half (52%) saying their smartphone functions as a portable office
- Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Fold7 – its thinnest, lightest, sleekest model yet – is designed to help today’s modern worker to work smarter and faster whilst on the go
Fax machines, Rolodexes and floppy disks have been consigned to the annals of work-life history according to a new survey released, which shines a spotlight on the evolution of the workplace.
The study of 2,000 UK office workers suggests that the traditional office of the 90s, as popularised in the sitcom of the same name, would be unrecognisable to office workers in 2025.
Landline phones, business card holders and even sticky notes are among the traditional office staples considered to be outdated in today’s workplace, while correction fluids – once deemed an essential part of office life – are also on their way out.
The poll, commissioned by Samsung to launch their new Galaxy Z Fold7 Enterprise Edition, a business foldable phone enhanced with AI features, found as few as one in ten Brits now make all their work calls from an office landline, with 52% of Brits saying their smartphone functions as a portable office.
It also revealed that almost two-thirds (62%) say working from a mobile phone has improved their ability to multitask, with 50% saying they begin their workday on the commute on at least some, if not all, the days they travel in to work.
Top 10 Obsolete Office Staples:
- Floppy Disks (63%)
- Fax machines (62%)
- Rolodexes (39%)
- Correction Fluid (36%)
- Landline phones (24%)
- Business Card Holders (21%)
- Sticky Notes as Password Reminders (21%)
- Filing Cabinets (20%)
- Physical Diary/Planner (19%)
- Paper Hole Cutters (17%)
Alongside the traditional office items that have been relegated to the past, the research also found that most work environments have undergone a period of modernisation, with comfortable seating areas (41%), relaxation spaces (39%) and collaboration pods (23%) becoming increasingly common as companies prioritise employee wellbeing.
When it comes to the modern working week, a meagre 37% of Brits now have fully office-based jobs, with just under one in five (18%) saying they split their time 50/50 between the office and home. A further 21% say they mainly work remotely.
As such, only 37% of UK office workers say they now have assigned seats or desk space at work, with over a quarter (26%) hotdesking instead.
Annika Bizon, Mobile Experience VP of Product and Marketing, at Samsung UK&I, said:
“Thanks to cutting-edge technology, the modern office looks nothing like it did 25 years ago. Today’s professionals don’t work in one place or on one schedule, and their tech shouldn’t be confined to any restraints either. The Galaxy Z Fold7 is designed for the professional who works from anywhere – whether that’s a co-working space, their kitchen table, or the train to an important meeting. It’s your meeting room, notepad and your presentation screen all folded into one device; a complete mobile office built for modern working demands.”
Meanwhile, the gig economy has transformed career expectations with almost two in five (37%) workers now having a ‘side hustle’ as people focus on multiple careers simultaneously.
With more digital technology being used in the workplace, 61% of office workers have received employee training when it comes to using evolving software. However, more than one in ten (12%) of respondents aged 50+ admitted to struggling to incorporate innovative software into their working lives.
The Galaxy Z Fold7 is Samsung’s thinnest and lightest foldable yet, and gives workers the ability to flex the way they work. For example, having multiple apps open simultaneously on the device or using their voice for seamless action across apps with Google Gemini1, like adding the time & location of events instantly into their calendar. Featuring Galaxy AI2 for translation, call transcription and note-taking support, it’s like a portable office and executive assistant all in one.
For more information on Galaxy Z Fold7 Enterprise Edition, visit Samsung.com/uk.
