How many desktop PCs have been 'furloughed' in the UK?

Over a third of country's office computers laid dormant over lockdown period, according to report from 3stepIT

More than a third of the UK's office desktops have been "placed on furlough" as organisations pivot to remote working due to the lockdown, according to new data.

Finnish IT asset disposition (ITAD) 3stepIT commissioned the research into office devices over the lockdown period, which found that 34 per cent of office desktop PCs have been left dormant while businesses scrambled to secure extra kit for their staff to work from home during the lockdown.

Though workers were encouraged by the government to return to their offices earlier this month (a message that has today been reversed as the virus surges across the country), nearly one-fifth of desktop computers are not expected to be needed over the next year, according to the report.

"Redundant business technology represents both an opportunity and risk. We find it often holds residual value which businesses can capitalise on to fund their transition to new, flexible ways of working," stated Carmen Ene, CEO of 3stepIT.

"But businesses are producing more electronic waste than ever before, with many still dumping or destroying old and unwanted IT. If we don't see widespread adoption of more sustainable IT practices, these redundant devices could spell disaster for the planet."

Remote working practices dominated the report - which surveyed over 1,000 IT decision-makers across Europe - with 63 per cent expecting more demand from employees for flexible working hours as restrictions lift.

Over 60 per cent of respondents anticipate more employees working from home and 56 per cent expect to invest more in remote working technologies.

Just under half of respondents said increased spending on laptops would be the main focus for their IT spend over the next 12 months, compared to 14 per cent who said they would be focusing investment on desktop PCs.

"Businesses have been forced to rapidly adapt to mobile technology, to enable remote working and future-proof their operations," Ene added.

"Even those businesses who have been able to act nimbly, many have incurred huge costs equipping their people with new digital tools, and many more still face an uphill battle to modernise their tech."