08.11.2019

Rise of the remote worker brings potential engagement challenges, says future workplace study

A new pan-European study into the future of collaboration in the workplace suggests remote working will continue to increase over the next three years. Over half (53%) of meetings currently involve attendees who join remotely, according to research carried out by Savanta on behalf of Barco ClickShare, with three quarters (74%) of the 1,509 senior white-collar workers surveyed saying they predict an increase in remote attendee-only meetings over the next three years.

The findings highlight the ongoing shift towards remote working for employees of enterprises of all sizes and in all sectors – widely seen as a key enabler of more flexible and productive working. But respondents also highlighted significant problems that can arise if organisations don’t facilitate remote working effectively.

Over half (55%) of those who regularly attend meetings remotely said that it was much more difficult to follow and contribute when not there in person, while 45% said they feel less important when they join remotely. 43% said they often feel frustrated or disengaged when joining meetings remotely.

Remote working can be beneficial to employers and employees alike, enhancing flexibility, decreasing operating expenses, and improving work-life balance. However, Barco’s findings indicate that these benefits rely on technological solutions that allow employees to collaborate efficiently and effectively from wherever they are.

Respondents suggested that for remote collaboration to succeed, it must be as seamless as in-person collaboration would be – meaning participants must be able to interact with each other in the same way as they would if they were face-to-face in a room. More than two-thirds (69%) said that screen sharing increased their engagement, while over three-quarters (77%) agreed that in the next three years, the typical meeting will feature video as standard to improve collaboration between in-person and remote participants.

The results underline the fact that while most (72%) of those surveyed agreed that meetings are better than they were five years ago, more needs to be done to adapt to the needs of a growing number of remote meeting participants – with technology likely to play a vital role in enabling enterprises to achieve this.

Lieven Bertier, Head of Product Management, Barco ClickShare: “As business continues to globalise, remote meetings have become an integral part of day-to-day workflows: enabling employees around the world to work together, while also enhancing flexibility, decreasing operating expenses, and improving work-life balance. But our recent findings show that issues around participation in remote meetings remain a significant hurdle for enterprises of all sizes to overcome. Employers must deploy a technology tool which provides the same capability for remote meetings and remote participants as for those in the room. For me, this is how meeting room technology will best revolutionise the meeting experience, increasing engagement, and truly facilitating the flexibility and connectivity that this generation of employees increasingly demand.”

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