A significant reason behind the evolution of the workforce/workplace is due to a marked increase in communication and collaboration between people. This increase, compounded with an influx in workers across disparate locations, means challenges are bound to arise, so while employers are continuing to invest and offer flexible policies, not all workers are experiencing the benefits they hoped for.
Just 3 in 10 (29%) workers communicate as effectively as they’d like while two thirds (67%) have communication issues when collaborating. These challenges exist for all business types and sizes, however, workers in large businesses are more likely to experience at least one issue that limits effective communication (large businesses 69% compared with small businesses 61% and medium businesses 65%). If not properly addressed, these barriers to communication can have harmful impacts.
Amongst those experiencing communication problems, more than half cite logistical challenges, including different locations (40%) and problems scheduling face-to-face meetings (41%). Logistics are not the only significant barrier to effective communication. 3 in 10 (30%) ineffective communicators find issues with their communication tools, most commonly because equipment is unsuitable or not user friendly (21%) or simply because of a distinct lack of tools (14%).
Millennial workers, who are often-perceived as the most technologically capable, are the most likely to indicate problematic tools prevent effective communication (Millennials 33% compared with Gen X, Baby Boomers 28%).
This highlights the fact that unsuitable, dated, difficult to use or poorly implemented technology actually hinder the level of effective collaboration in the workplace.
Video conferencing, itself designed to assist with collaboration and combat the challenge of not being able to meet face-to-face, can involve a set of issues of its own. 4 in 5 (80%) workers mention at least one barrier exists to their use of video conferencing facilities, with Millennial workers again more likely to cite barriers (Millenials 88% compared with Gen X 75%, Baby Boomers 75%). Reasons related to lack of availability are the most commonly cited barriers to using video conferencing facilities to communicate or collaborate with business stakeholders (78%).The most common availability barrier is the need for pre-booking/arranging of video conferencing facilities (33%).
