There is a lot that the year 2020 taught both organizations and their employees. It was a dynamic shift in our daily routines, and a new identity for how we conduct our daily business. This unique change to both our lifestyles as well as our working methods have brought on a number of challenges – some which are easy to quantify and some that are not.
Avaya’s recent “Life and Work Beyond 2020” report brought to light some interesting observations of how people’s thinking has changed drastically in the past year, especially when it comes to issues such as working from home, job satisfaction, and overall happiness levels.
While some companies were initially reluctant to allow their employees to work from home for fear of declining productivity, the end result was actually quite positive. Out of 10,000 people surveyed, 57% of respondents feel happier because they feel that their boss trusts them to do more work from home. Another 56% said they are happier because they have been properly equipped with all the tools and technologies they need to succeed whilst working from home.
This of course, is directly related to the way an organization views its employees. Trust, respect and empowerment are powerful drivers of happiness, so if employees feel that these are being acknowledged, they’re more likely to continue to work in a much more comfortable manner. The change in working environment has been a mixed blessing – some who have never worked from home for an extended duration reported feeling anxious or distracted at first, while others settled in more easily with their new routines.
The pandemic drove people to spend more time at home, and attitudes towards customer service also changed dramatically. In-person visits to customer service agents were not possible for a long time, so most people had to deal with a consultant on the phone or speaking to a chatbot on a support website. A staggering 71% of respondents said that customer service problems now negatively impact their wellbeing, and brands are rushing to provide adequate training and support in order to provide a more caring customer experience.
As the year wore on and people fully adjusted to working from home, attitudes to the traditional office setup were being challenged. Did employees really need to come into the office five days a week in order to be productive? Should organizations continue to offer the flexibility to work from anywhere in the future, even after situations have improved? The numbers speak for themselves – 52% of those surveyed fear returning to work full time in an office.
It’s a statistic that’s impossible to ignore, and more companies are coming to the conclusion that if their staff are well-equipped at home to do their jobs, then there really isn’t a compelling need for them to sit at their desk in an office. This may end up reducing overheads – less people in an office means that companies can reduce their office space, as well as save on utility bills and other associated costs with having people physically present in the office. Forty-six percent of respondents say the ‘work from anywhere’ model is viable – the freedoms delivered as a result of the pandemic have inspired millions of people to imagine a new way of living – both at work and at home.
Staying connected with employees and keeping productivity going is an important point for any organization, and Avaya Spaces is helping to make all of that happen every day. Spaces’ persistent chat keeps the conversation going around any project or topic, making it easy to recap what’s being discussed and stay in the loop. Collaboration features such as task management and easy file sharing ensures that you have everything you need in a single place, instead of being spread out across multiple apps. And you can seamlessly switch to video calling with your team, and even invite up to 1,000 people to attend your meeting.
Ready to change the way you work? Click here for a 60-day, no-commitment trial and see how Avaya Spaces can improve the way you collaborate every day.
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