Here at Boomi we’ve previously spoken a lot about accelerating outcomes as the net result of our technology. In our current ever-changing economy, speed and quick responses to new challenges remain critical, but it’s utterly clear now that the ultimate outcome is people. People create organizational success, and right now, all of us are clearly living and working differently.
Our challenges and needs, but also our strengths are personal, and unique. And like it or not, subject to constant change. There just isn’t room to be disconnected — from people, processes, or technology — and be successful. Boomi is dedicated to fostering this adaptivity by instantly connecting people to what they want.
This focus has only sharpened in the last several months, as we have witnessed firsthand how the traditional ways of doing business have drastically changed for our customers.
With the quick and unexpected transition to remote work, we know it’s more critical than ever to enable connections with the people behind the video screens, working from their living rooms, kitchens, and home offices. We wanted to benchmark the interpersonal and technological impact of remote work — which is the highest priority in organizations’ rushed digital transformations. To do so, this month we surveyed more than 1000 workers and 200 IT decision-makers who used to work in an office and are now working remotely.
Curious what we learned?
Workers are feeling the impact of remote work:
- 58% of employees feel more isolated and disconnected from their work and their teams. In response, 49% of workers want to see their offices improve remote collaboration tools and systems.
- To address challenges, the use of technology is changing, with 41% of workers increasing how often they use technology and 38% adding new apps or technology processes to help them get their work done.
- C-suite respondents noted that remote work is affecting their ability to innovate and be creative, with 60% pointing to a lack of in-person information sharing with colleagues.
IT is getting its well-deserved praise as the hero:
- The reliance on technology while working remotely is driving a new appreciation for IT teams. Nearly 80% of IT leaders say their team feels more valued during this era of remote work. The feeling is mutual, as 78% of senior leaders said IT has been helpful or extremely helpful (compared to 58% individual contributors who shared the sentiment).
- IT leaders are addressing information silos with new connections. The two areas at the top of their agendas: IT Architecture and Design (47%) and Collaboration Tools and Data (40%).
People are dealing with coping in different ways:
- CEOs are eager to be back at their desks: The idea of returning to the office tomorrow is exciting to 58% of CEOs, compared to only 23% of individual contributors.
- Introverts and extroverts alike miss connecting: Both introverts (48%) and extroverts (55%), especially Baby Boomers, miss connecting with their peers. But at the same time, 85% of workers have some level of concern about returning to their offices.
- Workers are turning to new tactics (and pets) to cope: With no water cooler to chat around, 20% of workers have started chatting with their pets to cope with isolation. This is more than those who have turned to digital meditation (18%), professional development (17%), or therapy (9%).
Boomi leapt into action to quickly help organizations adapt to this new reality. We recently launched Work Reimagined, a set of quick-start application templates to automate critical processes and accelerate business recovery strategies. The need to help create, maintain, and maximize connections is clear, and we are rising to the challenge — but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Now, we are launching our new vision of Integrated Experiences for the industry.
Learn more about how we are fueling connections and already delivering Integrated Experiences for many of our customers.