Teamwork at firms is taking a hit as workers seek to secure their own jobs, research from BT Business has shown.

The research shows that more than one in 10 employees (12%) said they had become more insular, while 27% are putting in longer hours.

John Dovey, IT services director at BT Business, says: “Although we can’t change human nature, business practices can be enabled to make employees collaborate as a matter of course. When a company integrates its communications channels it automates information sharing, allowing every employee to answer a customer enquiry or respond quickly to new opportunities. The approach helps firms to operate more effectively in the current climate and to be in better shape for the upturn when it comes.”