The Covid-19 pandemic forced most businesses to find new ways to function as remote working suddenly became key to business continuity.
To evaluate the economic impact of remote work and video communications solutions during the pandemic, video conferencing company Zoom has released a report that focusing on what industries were able to pivot their business processes using video conferencing, resulting in business continuity and even growth during a time of significant economic turmoil.
Polling 5,820 employees in India, US, UK, Germany, France and Japan, the report, commissioned by Boston Consulting Group (BCG), found that there were 2.5-3x more remote workers last year.
Among remote working employees, there was a 2.4-2.7x increase in the usage of video conferencing solutions. The total time spent on video conferencing solutions increased 3-5x as well.
The report says that remote working saved millions of jobs that may have been lost as a result of the pandemic. The survey showed that 70% of managers surveyed are more open to flexible remote working models than they were before the pandemic.
Hybrid working models are here to stay — businesses surveyed expect over a third of employees to work remotely beyond the pandemic
“By empowering employees with agile solutions, you can future-proof operations and foster a resilient, happier workforce. Remote work won’t be a novelty exclusive to the pandemic, but rather a competitive advantage,” the report said.