Part one of our research* into the influence of digital communication and collaboration tech on behaviour/culture, working relationships and performance is now available here:

Social technology at work – Engage for Success Report June 2017

We’ve also gathered a treasure trove of quantitative data, drawn from around 1,000 people representing nearly 30 organisations, in four continents.

If you would like to be part of your organisation’s conversation about the use of digital communication and collaboration technology to drive cultural and commercial performance, this report may be of help. Here’s a taster:

1 in 5 people spend more than 7 hours per day online for work – and Millennials are the most highly represented generation in this cohort. Gen X lead the way in personal and company owned mobile device usage and working from home – because they feel they’re pioneers of this work style. We all claim to be more productive when working from home provided we have supportive technology. Yet remote working is reported as the coming enemy of interacting with colleagues and team creativity. Even millennials worry about that. Also, only 40% of people are certain that technology is having a positive effect on their work/life balance – the rest are certain its not, or have a neutral or undecided view. We also found Boomers are far less certain about the existence of collaboration platforms at work, compared with Millennials.

Nearly everyone says that corporate tech is clunky compared to personal kit. But the two are converging except in highly sensitive environments.

$3.4 trillion will be spent on tech at work this year; a number that is accelerating quickly. Yet productivity has flat lined or declined since the 70s. One reason could be that few organisations develop a commercial and cultural plan before they invest in tech – or a change management strategy for embedding it once the purchase order has been approved. Employees say that the tech just turns up like an alien spaceship with no clear purpose, no obvious sponsorship, few protocols, no induction, no guarantee of career safety for users, and poor role modelling by influential leaders.

On the plus side, when the right planning and governance in is effect, people say that these types of tech are a boon for workplaces.

We’re keen to help more organisations navigate these choppy waters, by reflecting on their own journeys so far and accessing the deep dive analyses we guide them through. Interested parties should contact John (Europe) or Bonnie (Aus) for more information.

The presentation is also proving popular as a guest appearance at away days, leadership meetings and as a catalyst for those charged with seeking competitive advantage via the right adoption of digital – again, please contact us for more information.

*This research is being conducted at zero cost, by Engage for Change Principal John Smythe (Europe) and Carlo Communications Principal Bonnie Carlo (Australia). Contact us at:

johnsmythe@engageforchange.com
bonnie@carlocommunications.com