New VMware Research Suggests Businesses and Employees at Odds Over Workplace Innovation
November 29 2022 - 8:00AM
Business Wire
More companies with hybrid working policies use
formal metrics to measure impact over their office-only
counterparts
Automation technology investments seen as key
to making hybrid work a success
Two thirds (66%) of all survey respondents believe their
organization is more innovative if employees are in the office,
according to research unveiled today by VMware Inc. (NYSE: VMW), a
leading innovator in enterprise software.
The study, “The Distributed Work Dilemma: When Innovation and
Job Satisfaction Compete,” conducted by Vanson Bourne on behalf of
VMware, highlights how survey respondent’s views on where they feel
they are most innovative are at odds with where they would prefer
to work, with 82% of all respondents having higher job satisfaction
if they can work from anywhere. In addition, more than half (57%)
of respondents with anywhere and hybrid working policies, where
they can work in an office and remotely, report increased morale,
creativity (56%) and collaboration (55%) within their teams since
prior to the pandemic.
With growing economic uncertainty, business leaders could be
driving employees back into the office with hope that it will
enable greater employee innovation and productivity, but with
little certainty on its real benefit.
In fact, a higher percentage of organizations with anywhere- and
hybrid-work policies have formal metrics in place to track
innovation and its impact on the business and employees. Nearly all
organizations with an anywhere work policy (97%) have metrics in
place to monitor innovation levels versus 83% of those with an
office-only policy.
“Greater economic uncertainty is propelling businesses to become
even more focused on innovation and productivity, but this
shouldn’t be at the expense of all the progress made in developing
more flexible working practices,” said Shankar Iyer, senior vice
president and general manager, End-User Computing, VMware.
“Research has shown that allowing hybrid work creates happier, more
engaged, and more collaborative teams, which can naturally lead to
increased productivity. Employees believe they can achieve their
best work when given the choice of hybrid working, combined with
the tools to support this, yet business leaders believe the office
is where innovation is driven. Our research suggests that more
companies need to deploy formal metrics to measure impact to ensure
perception does not outweighing reality. Those with hybrid working
policies are clearly taking this very seriously.”
Over the next 12 months, almost three quarters (72%) of
organizations surveyed are planning to invest significantly more in
their digital culture, and a third (33%) are prioritizing
investments that fuel innovation and creativity. Driving innovation
to create business efficiencies, cut costs, or increase market
attractiveness is clearly a business imperative.
Automation and digital tools are helping organizations do more
with less. Among businesses where investment in automation has
increased, more than half (53%) of businesses are investing in
automation to help increase employee experience and productivity.
Additionally, 43% are looking for automation to help accelerate
innovation, while 50% seek to create faster and lower-cost
operations. The highest levels of investment are concentrated
amongst organizations with hybrid- or anywhere-work policies versus
those with office-only policies. This suggests that business
innovation and productivity must be prioritised, but not at the
expense of working location flexibility.
Iyer adds, “The mythical inflection point where all employees
are office-based is not guaranteed to happen. Companies must
continue to strike the right balance between boosting innovation
without crushing employee motivation and productivity. By investing
in digital collaboration tools, automation, and team-building
policies, business leaders can drive efficiencies and boost success
while still offering the flexibility of office or remote
working.”
Workplace innovation is one of many topics touched on in The
Distributed Work Dilemma: When Innovation and Job Satisfaction
Compete. Other key findings include:
- Power Shifts Between Employers and Employees: While the
Great Resignation and near-universal talent shortages have put
employees in the driver’s seat in recent months, the current
economic climate is adding a layer of tumult to employer-employee
power dynamics – with employers beginning to have the upper hand.
View the infographic.
- Large Talent Gaps and Increasing Turnover: Despite an
overall increase in job satisfaction over the past two years, all
sectors, departments, and regions are experiencing talent
shortages. And turnover within cybersecurity teams is especially
high.
- Automation Facilitates Anywhere and Hybrid Work:
Technology – and more specifically, automation – investments are
critical for reducing burnout and facilitating the collaboration
necessary to maintain innovation, even in a distributed
environment. View the infographic.
Additional Resources
- Download the full report, “The Distributed Work Dilemma: When
Innovation and Job Satisfaction Compete,” here
- Read more about VMware’s latest research on the VMware End-User
Computing blog
- Learn more about VMware Anywhere Workspace
- Follow VMware on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube
Methodology
The survey was conducted by Vanson Bourne and commissioned by
VMware — collecting global data from 5,300 HR, IT, and business
decision makers, and employee-level respondents, from July to
August of 2022.
About VMware
VMware is a leading provider of multi-cloud services for all
apps, enabling digital innovation with enterprise control. As a
trusted foundation to accelerate innovation, VMware software gives
businesses the flexibility and choice they need to build the
future. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, VMware is committed
to building a better future through the company’s 2030 Agenda. For
more information, please visit www.vmware.com/company.
About Vanson Bourne:
Vanson Bourne is an independent specialist in market research
for the technology sector. Their reputation for robust and credible
research-based analysis is founded upon rigorous research
principles and their ability to seek the opinions of senior
decision-makers across technical and business functions, in all
business sectors and all major markets. For more information, visit
www.vansonbourne.com.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221129005046/en/
Heather Donner VMware Global Communications +1 (925) 482-4333
hdonner@vmware.com
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