Commentary

Home Alone: Working Remotely Can Hamper Marketers And Others

Firms may think they have mastered the art of engaging customers. But they still don’t know to communicate internally, judging by 2019 State of the Digital Workplace, a study by Igloo Software.

Of the marketers polled, 60% have avoided sharing a document with a colleague because they couldn’t find it or don’t want to waste the time it would take.

In contrast, 43% of the employees in the entire sample say the same thing. 

It’s clear that marketers -- email users included -- face internal communications challenges. And these could undermine their ability to interact with customers. 

Then there is the issue of security, beginning with how employees share sensitive documents or information (such as marketing or product plans).

For 69%, the sharing of documents or information is done by email, with the risks that entails. Running a distant second are shared document drives like Google Drive, utilized by 45%.

In addition, 38% use intranets, although overall use of that technology has grown — 80% of companies have an intranet, and 81% of employees have used it, up from 75%.

advertisement

advertisement

But the study observes that “accessing information and collaborating with peers within these systems remains an issue, and in some cases, leads to wasted time and employees simply giving up.”

Security may also be undermined by unapproved apps — 59% have utilized them, with 62% because of ease of use and 55% because they could not be monitored or tracked by their companies.

Also growing is use of social media, with 76% of employees now saying they are connected with their colleagues via social channels, compared with 68% last year. But they are cautious: 71% have not posted something because they fear a coworker might see it. That’s up from 55% in last year’s survey.

Facebook is the most popular channel, used by 87%, followed by Instagram (42%), Linkedin (42%) and Twitter (38%).

On a positive note, 91% of employees are confident their knowledge-sharing tools only grant access to authorized individuals.

Meanwhile, the report disproves the belief that working remotely is paradise for employees. Remote workers often feel excluded. For instance, 57% miss out on important information that is communicated in person to on-site staff.

In addition, 55% have been excluded from meetings or brainstorming sessions because they are remote.

Moreover, 43% are unable to access people or groups. And 39% are unable to see important documents. What’s more, 33% have missed input about process or policy changes, and 19% are unable to find the right tool to contact someone.

Working remotely tends to increase as one goes up the ladder. Among entry-level employees, 45% work remotely, as do 61% of managers and 80% of directors and above.

Igloo Software surveyed 2,000 executives across several industries.

 

Next story loading loading..