Cisco Study Reveals Canadian Employees Crave In-person Experiences, But Offices Are Not Delivering
March 05 2024 - 8:00AM
Today, Cisco (NASDAQ:CSCO) released findings from its Reimagining
Workspaces Survey which showed working preferences are shifting as
employees crave in-office collaboration and social interactions,
and now, the race is on for workspace design and technology to
catch up.
Study data found that 76 per cent of
Canadian companies are choosing to partially or fully mandate a
return to the office with productivity, team communication, and
workplace culture as key drivers for the decision. Sixty-four per
cent of employees positively support their organization’s
decisions, however their motives have significantly evolved.
Canadians want to be in the office to
collaborate (58%), ideate (27%), and foster connections with
colleagues (28%), but current workspaces do not meet this need.
Most (83%) employers allocate at least half the office to
individual work stations. As a result, only 40 per cent of
employees say their offices are very well prepared to support
changing hybrid work needs.
“Companies in 2024 need to invest
strategically to create spaces that are a magnet for employees,”
said Shannon Leininger, President, Cisco Canada. “The backbone of
modern workspaces lies in robust, AI-enabled technology
infrastructure and seamless, secure connectivity. To meet the
evolving needs of employees, workspaces will need to be reimagined
and built for purpose.”
Technology is a Baseline
Expectation; AI-Enabled Features are Highly Desired When
it comes to the ideal workspace, both employees and employers agree
that technology is foundational. Canadian employees ranked
technology infrastructure and connectivity (93%) as the most
important in office design, followed by layout and seating
arrangements (90%), and collaboration and meeting spaces (86%).
Employees also see an opportunity for
artificial intelligence (AI) to improve collaboration and their
working experiences, but AI adoption among employers is not keeping
pace. For example, while over half (53%) of employees agree
AI-powered meeting room devices would be most useful to them, only
36 per cent of employers plan to invest in them. Similarly, while
81 per cent of employees agree AI-assistant tools would be most
useful to them, only 61 per cent of employers intend to invest in
these features.
Flexibility and Hybrid Work
Models are Here to Stay The data shows working preferences
across all levels of employees are evenly split so flexibility will
continue to be essential for organizations as they work to meet
employee expectations. Of Canadian employers, 24 per cent prefer a
mix of working from home and the office, 37 per cent prefer to be
mostly in the office, and 34 per cent prefer working mainly from
home. The trend is mirrored in employees as 29 per cent prefer a
mix of working from home and the office, 34 per cent prefer to work
mostly from the office, and 30 per cent prefer working mostly from
home.
Office Redesigns are
Underway Organizations are beginning to transform office
spaces. Two-thirds (64%) of employers have redesigned their office
in the wake of the pandemic or are planning to do so in the next 24
months.
Regular enhancements to workspace
layouts (63%) and technology features (60%) are the top items for
organizations that have allocated budgets to office redesign,
however considerations for AI and cybersecurity are lagging which
means businesses may not be setting themselves up for long-term
success. Only 21 per cent plan to prioritize AI technology in their
office redesign and just 18 per cent have allocated a budget for
cybersecurity. It is critical businesses allocate resources and
focus on AI and cybersecurity. AI will fuel significant
transformation for businesses that can successfully harness it and
a strong cybersecurity posture will ensure that every organization,
including its data, its people and its customers, is protected.
The Cisco Canada Reimagining
Workspaces Survey is based on an online research survey conducted
with 150 Canadian employers and 500 Canadian employees in January
and February 2024.
About Cisco Cisco
(NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide technology leader that securely
connects everything to make anything possible. Our purpose is to
power an inclusive future for all by helping our customers
reimagine their applications, power hybrid work, secure their
enterprise, transform their infrastructure, and meet their
sustainability goals. Discover more on The Newsroom and follow us
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Media Contact:
Samantha Campana sacampan@cisco.com289-242-6455
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