Cisco‘s new Hybrid Work Survey for 2024 found that less than half of workers believe their offices are well-equipped for hybrid working.
Revealed at Enterprise Connect this week, Cisco’s report highlights that while most employees are generally upbeat about returning to the office in some capacity, they find the spaces too geared towards individual work rather than fostering collaboration. 72 percent of employees surveyed by Cisco said they were optimistic about returning to the office but wanted better-equipped spaces for collaboration, while only 47 percent believe their work environments are equipped for the new age of hybrid work.
With over four-fifths (81 percent) of employers saying they have already or are planning on redesigning office space, a further slight increase in that figure in 83 percent of respondents acknowledge that collaboration-driven improvements attract and retain talent.
Both employers and employees acknowledge the need for offices to encourage collaboration and innovation in hybrid models. While employers see the value of technology and AI investments in productivity and talent attraction, few have coherent strategies for implementation.
Jeetu Patel, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Security and Collaboration at Cisco, commented:
Making the office a magnet means creating experiences that employees value. To achieve this, organisations must embed hybrid work solutions infused with AI into office spaces to foster collaborative experiences for everyone.”
The Cisco Hybrid Work study surveyed 14,050 full-time employees and 3,800 employers online between December 2023 and January 2024. Participants were from 19 markets across three regions: the Americas (Brazil, Canada, Mexico, USA), Asia Pacific (Australia, Hong Kong, India, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand), and Europe (France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, United Kingdom).
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Other Compelling Findings
An eye-catching figure was that 85 percent of employers allocate most of their office space to personal working areas, fostering individual working environments and habits that undermined collaboration.
Cisco underlined that technology infrastructure and integration present significant issues for businesses seeking to modernise, particularly regarding meeting room effectiveness. Inadequate audio and video technology was cited by Cisco as most often impeding productivity and collaboration efforts.
Employers who considered meeting rooms ineffective in enhancing in-office productivity cite insufficient audio and video endpoints as the primary reason, with percentages of 41 percent in the Americas, 52 percent in Asia Pacific, and 42 percent in Europe.
Another critical finding underpinning Cisco’s report was employers’ commitment to investing in AI to boost productivity and save on costs. 73 percent plan to invest in AI-powered collaboration software by 2025. Additionally, 68 percent aim to enhance their workspaces with AI technologies.
By the end of 2025, 80 percent of employers intend to invest in AI for workspaces and collaboration, emphasising the transformative potential of AI. This highlights the urgency to expedite AI adoption within workplaces to bolster productivity and establish future-ready office environments.
For AI integration to be successful, however, Cisco advises that organisations must bridge the AI skill gap.
While 43 percent of employees have access to AI technologies, fewer than half feel proficient. With one in four employees lacking adequate preparation in utilising AI, this underscores the necessity for training and the importance of selecting AI solutions that cater to both organisational and individual team requirements.
