There’s no denying that it has been a challenging few years for workers worldwide. A global pandemic and uncertain economic conditions have led to constant change in the workforce, immersing us all into a reformed world of work. Some change has been for the better, some less so. And we now find ourselves navigating new work paths together, in pursuit of how we can be most productive.
There are two sides to the productivity coin. Employees want to be productive in the most effective ways, while employers want to ensure workers are the most productive with their tools and resources. As a result, employers and employees are experiencing growing pains while navigating this new work landscape in pursuit of productivity.
With monday.com’ data-driven approach to just about anything, we’re always in pursuit of trends and insights in this space, not only for our internal teams but information that could help as we strengthen the platform for our customers. This curiosity led us to partner with Rep Data, an independent research company, to explore the global sentiment around productivity, time management, and workflow automation. With our Global Productivity Survey, we wanted to hear directly from employees about how they’re approaching their work, what software they’re using, how they rate their companies’ technology tools, and what they believe priorities should be for this year.
Interestingly, topline results showed that while positive intent is certainly there, there’s a significant gap still between organizations and employees regarding efficient processes, tools, and workflow. Let’s dive into some key findings.
Less is more. And this applies to your tech stack too.
- On average, workers use 10.5 technology tools monthly, split evenly between Web-based and PC-based tools.
- Globally, workers believe they could save 10+ hours weekly by consolidating technology tools.
- 77% (83% US, 78% AU, 83% UK) of knowledge workers say consolidating their company’s toolset should be a high priority.
Streamlining is #goals.
- 80% (87% US, 83% AU, 82% UK) of knowledge workers believe collaboration and productivity tools improve employee engagement.
- Only 26% (29% US, 18% AU, 23% UK) of knowledge workers fully agree they have the tools to streamline work processes.
- Globally, about 3 in 4 workers agree consolidation of their company’s toolset should be a high priority – with this number being higher in larger companies.
- 9 in 10 business professionals believe productivity and collaboration are the top business assets in 2023.
- 76% (85% US, 82% AU, 83% UK) of knowledge workers believe improving productivity helps prevent employee burnout.
Employees are all about ‘workflow automation,’ but organizations need to step up education and delivery.
- Despite a lack of clarity on how to achieve it, there was strong agreement Workflow Automation (the use of software to complete some tasks and activities without the need for human input) would boost productivity (84% – 86% US, 87% AU, 86% UK) while making workers happier and improving morale
- Only 26% (28% US, 21% AU, 21% UK) of workers completely agreed their company had the tools already to automate
- 78% (82% US, 83% AU, 80% UK) of knowledge workers say workflow automation will change their daily lives, for the better, over the next three years
- 76% (79% US, 76% AU, 76% UK) of knowledge workers say workflow automation should be a higher priority in their company
The data paints a clear picture; employees want to maximize their productivity in a way that makes sense for them. As employees experience greater flexibility, companies should meet them where they are and empower them with the right tools instead of resisting in the name of the status quo. Now more than ever, organizations should be open to reexamining their rigid infrastructure, processes, and operations to propel employees to success.
Get started