Digital Workspace Survey: What Are the Tools that Make Remote Working Easier?

Business collaboration platforms are integral tools, particularly for hybrid workers. Survey results show 97 percent of overall respondents to our survey say they use collaboration platforms in their jobs, including:

• Microsoft Teams, used by 65%
• Zoom 49%
• Google Meet 18%
• Cisco Webex 17%
• Slack 15%
• Other 2%

A total of 82 percent say collaboration platforms are “important” or “very important” tools to have when working from home. By age demographic, 88 percent of those aged 35 to 54 years, 83 percent of those aged 18 to 34 and 73 percent of those 55 and older say collaboration platforms are important or very important when working from home.

“I’m not surprised by these numbers,” says CDW Canada Field Solution Architect Ritu Dhaliwal. “It's completely unsurprising that a whopping 97 percent of the total respondents use collaboration tools extensively for accomplishing tasks – that is the hybrid world we live in today.”

A total of 62 percent of respondents say they spend three hours or less each day on video calls or conferences while 38 percent say they spend three hours or more, including 13 percent who say they spend more than five hours.  

Dhaliwal says it’s important for organizations to pay close attention to how the collaboration tool market evolves, as a dominant platform is likely to emerge from a current field of many different solutions. She likened the situation to what happened with internet search engines where at one time there were many options, but today there is a clearly dominant market leader.

“It's crucial to maintain a vigilant watch on both the current state and future trends of the market,” she says. “And, from a vendor perspective, all collaboration solution providers need to understand how market shares may be shifting and perhaps consider partnerships with others in the market.”

There’s little doubt regarding the positive impact made by collaboration tools for today’s workers. A total of 82 percent of respondents say collaboration platforms are very important or important tools when working from home and an overwhelming majority say their jobs are made easier by using them. By collaboration platform type:

• 80% say Microsoft Teams makes work easier
• 77% say Slack
• 72% say Google Meet
• 70% say Zoom
• 56% say Cisco Webex

Videoconferencing is also widely used, with 68 percent using it in office meeting rooms for hybrid meetings. A total of 54 percent say they are “confident” or “very confident” using videoconferencing technology and only 6 percent say they are “not confident at all.”

Laptop computers are used by 83 percent of respondents who work at home, while 67 percent use external monitors and 54 percent use headsets.  In terms of how essential IT and other equipment is for those working from home, by percentage, respondents say the following are “important” or “very important.”

• High-speed internet and networks (93%)
• Adequate lighting (77%)
• Dedicated workstations/desks (76%)
• Ergonomic chairs (63%)
• Multiple monitors (63%)
• Webcams (62%)
• Headsets (58%)

Of lesser importance are printers/scanners (36 percent say these are important or very important), adjustable desks (35 percent) and laptop stands (29 percent).

Overall, 37 percent of respondents say they use ergonomic chairs when working from home, including 45 percent of those in small businesses. Dhaliwal admits she was somewhat surprised that the use of ergonomic chairs was not higher.

“I would have thought the number of people using ergonomic chairs would have been a higher percentage,” she says.

“I recall the transition to full remote work at CDW Canada in March 2020. One of the initial steps taken by CDW was to allocate funds for the acquisition of remote office equipment. Since the office setup was ergonomically designed, CDW prioritized assisting colleagues in obtaining all the necessary items for their home offices. When conversing with coworkers, it was common to hear discussions about their purchases, with ergonomic chairs being a popular choice for many.”

While working from home or remotely is a highly preferred option for most employees and there are many tools and technologies available to make it easier, there are still challenges related to at-home work. For example, nearly one in four (23 percent) survey respondents say disruptions and connection issues on video calls are a barrier when working from home.

More than one-in-four employees at large businesses (27 percent) say virtual private network (VPN) connectivity issues are a barrier when they work from home and, overall, 20 percent of respondents say some type of IT hardware is their biggest technological barrier when working from home.

Deeper analysis of data reveals the biggest technological barriers facing employees at small business include:

• Lack of IT technical support (22%)
• Lack of other IT hardware (15%)
• Trouble sharing documents with other team members (10%)

“Many employees continue to favour office attendance due to concerns about network connectivity,” Dhaliwal says. “When home network connections lack reliability, it hinders productivity. I personally know many individuals who opt for office work to evade such issues.

“It ultimately boils down to having the appropriate technology that enables individuals to work seamlessly, whether they are in the office or at home," she adds. “Organizations must ensure they have the necessary tools to overcome obstacles that might impede efficient and effective work.”

Apple technology is revolutionizing the digital workspace, ushering in a new era of productivity, collaboration and security. With an ecosystem that seamlessly integrates macOS, iPadOS and iOS, Apple ensures that users experience a consistent and productive workflow across all their devices. This synergy enhances flexibility and empowers employees to work anytime, from anywhere. In any environment, it’s crucial for businesses to utilize Apple’s robust security features to maintain a safe and productive work environment.