Organisations are now using three times more collaboration apps than they were prior to the pandemic, according to new research from Unify Square.
The management and security software provider revealed some findings from its Status Report: Workplace Collaboration 2021 survey, which revealed that pre-pandemic, most companies used only one app for communications or collaboration. Now, most survey respondents are using three or more such apps, with 44 percent using Zoom, 38 percent using Microsoft Teams, and 16 percent opting for Cisco Webex Teams.
Unify Square’s report also revealed that collaboration apps have overtaken text messages in terms of response time, with respondents stating that they are quickest to respond to Microsoft Teams, Slack, or Zoom messages.
Asynchronous messaging – where the system puts a message that does not require an immediate response in a message queue – is also proving to be an emerging trend, particularly among younger age groups. Nearly half of 18-to-24 year olds stated that they are either sending or receiving such messages frequently or very frequently.
Elsewhere, nearly three in four employees stated that they will be back in the office from 2021 onwards, with 29 percent stating they will be in some of the time and 14 percent revealing they’ll be back in the office all of the time.
Face-to-face interaction was the biggest appeal to returning to the office, with nearly half of respondents identifying it as such. The 65+ age group missed their colleagues the most, while one-third of 18-to-24 year olds that their company’s office return plans would make them more likely to quit.
“With hybrid work here to stay and the Great Resignation in full swing, it’s crucial for organisations to be attuned to employee needs to build a productive and loyal workforce,” the Unify Square report stated.
“Creating a forward-looking workspace with plenty of room to collaborate – both on- and offline – is key, as well as embracing new methods of communication, like asynchronous messaging”
“The organisations utilising UC&C platforms effectively will be best positioned to balance between in-person and remote work and keep both employees and customers happy.”
