50 Per Cent Of Male Workers Suffer From PMT

Pre-Millennium Tension Widespread in British Businesses According to Latest Research

Big business may be prepared for technological change, but British workers in smaller businesses have mixed views. According to new research commissioned by Compaq and One 2 One, over 50 per cent of British workers in small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are suffering from high levels of Pre-Millennium Tension (PMT) and one in five wants to go back to using more basic technology because they don't feel able to cope with technological change. The research is launched on the eve of the 1999 Business Link National Conference which aims to address the needs, expectations and demands for business support services from SMEs in the UK.

The research launched today was conducted by MORI on behalf of Compaq and One 2 One and surveyed nearly 900 workers, including 316 SMEs to ascertain their attitudes towards information and communication technology as we approach the millennium. The research reveals that Britain's SMEs have widely differing attitudes towards technology. From the research three distinct types of business have been observed: those that view change with trepidation and anxiety, 'PMT plc'; those that would prefer to revert to more basic technology, 'Luddites Ltd'; and those that actively embrace new technology and view its adoption as integral to future business survival, 'sme.com'.

Peter Sinclair, Chief Executive of the Business Link Network Company, said: "This research demonstrates what we have always known, that not all SMEs are the same. More than 90% of businesses in Britain are SMEs and our job is to support and encourage them to take advantage of new technology in order to meet their business goals, regardless of technical expertise. We are extremely pleased to have Compaq and One 2 One as joint sponsors of the 1999 Business Link National Conference. They are clearly helping smaller businesses to get the most out of technology and prepare for business in the millennium."

Key Research Findings:

PMT plc: The research findings suggest that whilst some SMEs know that information and communications technology is important to business performance, they find it difficult to get to grips with future technology.

The research revealed that of those 897 workers surveyed over half did not feel that they will be able to cope with new technology in the future.

• 50 per cent of men and 65 per cent of women are suffering from PMT with many men worrying that they will not be able to cope with new technology. Nearly one fifth of men admitted to feeling anxious, nervous and worried about the introduction of new technology.
• PMT is more prevalent in smaller businesses with 50 employees or fewer where two thirds of workers admitted that they could not cope with future technology.
• The older people get, the more nervous and anxious they appear to be about new technology. Two thirds of respondents over the age of 55 do not feel that they will be able to cope with new technology post millennium.

Luddite Ltd: The research suggests that some employees in SMEs believe that new technology could be a waste of time and money and some businesses would rather revert to more basic technology.

The research revealed that of those surveyed:

• 15 per cent felt that there definitely would be a technology backlash if things went wrong at the millennium.
• Nearly one in four workers surveyed said that they would rather stick with the technology they have today than having to use new technology, whilst a further fifth would rather go back to using more basic technology.

SME.COM: The research indicates that a high percentage of SMEs use technology to drive business forward and are keen to find new and better ways to communicate.

The research revealed that of those 897 workers surveyed:

• Despite PMT, 89 per cent of employees within businesses with 50 employees or fewer feel it is important to invest in new technology.
• Nearly 60 per cent of respondents see the Internet as key to business survival, and that companies will die if they do not use the Internet.
• Males under the age of 35 would like to go out and buy the flashiest, newest technology as soon as it becomes available.
• 90 per cent of women do not care what technology looks like and the over 55s are even less bothered with whether technology is new or what it looks like.

Marisa Kacary, marketing manager, Compaq's Small and Medium Business Group, said:

"We are aware that the IT needs of SMEs are not all the same and we have been working very closely with our channel partners to offer SME's hardware, software and services tailored to meet their individual needs. This research demonstrates the need for IT vendors and businesses to recognise that technology affects every individual within an organisation and not just a businesses bottom line."

David Henson, recently appointed Head of One 2 One's Business Unit, said:

"Helping customers understand the business benefits of mobile communications, and ensuring that all our products and services are easy to for business customers to use, are two of the most important goals we have set ourselves. It is a strategy that is succeeding - our business customer base has doubled to 660,000 in the last quarter alone - and One 2 One's focus for the future as it works with its new owner Deutsche Telekom."

Technical details

The survey was placed on MORI's Omnibus, and a nationally representative quota sample of 897 adults were interviewed by MORI/Field & Tab across 155 constituency-based sampling points. Interviews were carried out using CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing) face-to-face in respondents' homes between 24th and 27th September 1999. Data have been weighted to reflect the national population profile.