Too Many of us Have Still Got Old PCs. Microsoft Thinks That's a Terrible Idea
Arthur T Knackerbracket has processed the following story:
Microsoft's Surface laptop business ran a survey with YouGov in the UK and found that 66% of workers with company-owned laptops or tablets are still using the same device they had when the COVID-19 lockdowns started last March.
[...] "More than a third (35%) of employees who received new devices since the onset of COVID-19 reported a resulting increase in their productivity. Meanwhile, most employees have "made do" with the same device while working remotely," Microsoft said in a statement.
"Employees want upgrades that better suit their individual needs -- as-remote working arrangements that started as temporary measures have become the norm. Their company's IT teams, which initially purchased devices to help staff work from home during the pandemic but then shelved routine upgrades, now feel the same way."
The survey found that employees feel they are not being listened to when it comes to new devices. Half of them believe devices are provided based on job role alone - with individual requirements not considered as standard. Only one in three feel their individual needs and accessibility requirements are taken into consideration, a number that drops to 17% for frontline workers.
[...] There are several factors at play here in Microsoft's pitch to business. Companies are moving to hybrid work after a year of largely remote work, which means some sectors have stalled hardware purchases after a splurging on devices last year. And of course, Windows 11 has just arrived.
[...] Windows 11 has been out for mainstream users since October 5, but it hasn't been widely adopted yet. Windows 10 reaches end of life on October 14, 2025.
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