Are your collaboration tools helping—or hurting— your organization?New research helps you benchmark your current capabilities and provides insights on where to improve

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Chapter 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 The growing impact of collaboration

Chapter 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Just how critical is it?

Chapter 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 The future of collaboration

Chapter 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 How collaboration affects IT

Chapter 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 How to choose the right collaboration solution

Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Introduction 3

IntroductionThe workplace is changing—and how we work is rapidly changing with it. With a growing mobile and distributed workforce—and new gener-ations of workers that expect to collaborate anytime, anywhere—IT organizations must be aware of these changes and put tools in place to help the entire workforce adapt and communicate effectively.

Virtual teams are, in fact, the new standard for conducting global business. A 2016 RW3 survey on the matter indicates that corporate teams are now almost entirely virtual, and 41% never meet in person. In fact, 48% of respondents revealed that more than half of their teams include members from other countries.1 Meeting productivity is hard

enough when everyone is in the same room, but when stakeholders are located across the country and around the world it becomes that much more difficult.

Add to this challenge new generations entering the workforce, who’ve grown up with remote collaboration technologies. These workers expect technology to enable them to meet and work with coworkers wherever they happen to be. This app-touting, device-savvy group is not only used to flexibility, it demands it. In fact, by 2025 millennials will comprise three-quarters of the workforce.3 And in a Queens University survey, nearly three in four millennials rated teamwork and collaboration as “very important.”4

Introduction 4

“Organizations face a radically shifting context for the workforce, the workplace, and the world of work.”6

As a result of these workforce transformations, industry-leading IT teams are busy modernizing communications and getting smart about collaboration. Basically, if you’re not deploying collaboration-enabled conference rooms and tools to enhance team productivity, you’re already behind the game. And there are lessons to be learned from IT professionals’ experiences.

Based on recent Spiceworks research,5 this eBook reveals how today’s mid-sized organizations are using collaboration tools to become more agile and competitive in the midst of these changes.

It confirms the growing importance of collabora-tion, describes how organizations are deploying collaboration solutions today and what they plan to deploy in the future, some impacts to IT, and key considerations based on survey respondents’ hands-on experience.

By examining these trends, you can measure the preparedness of your organization, while receiving pointers on what to consider as you get your organization up to speed on the collaboration front. If you’ve fallen behind—it’s time to catch up.

The growing impact of collaboration

CHAPTER 1

The growing impact of collaboration 6

As work and the workforce change, collaboration tools are a critical part of the solution. “Collaboration lays a foundation for better teamwork. Effective and meaningful collaboration is much more than just ‘working together,’ and employees who collaborate better are able to work towards providing new and superior solutions to customers they serve,” writes Thomas Oppong, founder and editor of alltopstartups.com.7

Collaboration tools enable better organization and delegation of tasks, improved progress tracking, higher productivity, and better flexibility. In a Deloitte survey on millennials, respondents credited workforce flexibility with greater productivity, organizational performance, employee engagement, and personal well-being, health, and happiness.8

Likewise, the Spiceworks survey shows IT pros have experienced, or expect to experience, similar benefits from collaboration that include:5

Increased efficiency/productivity

Reduced costs (e.g., travel)

Improved support for remote workers

Increased agility/ faster decision-making

Enhanced team performance

Increased employee engagement

59% 42%

51% 42%

49% 42%

The growing impact of collaboration 7

Internal vs . external collaboration

Interestingly, internal collaboration is further along than external collaboration. While 62% of IT pros in the Spiceworks survey report their ability to enable employees to collaborate internally is excellent or very good, fewer than half (47%) say their ability to collaborate externally is excellent or very good.5 This becomes more and more critical as organizations work to leverage the best agencies, contractors, and other third-party experts that are not necessarily local—and who could be cost prohibitive to bring into the office. Organizations that overlook this aspect of collaboration are in danger of being left behind in the modern workplace.

“In the past, enterprise collaboration systems have been designed primarily for internal collaboration. What we will increasingly see is an ecosystem that supports external collaboration—a modern, portable conference room.”–Jennifer Zeidler, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at FreeConferenceCall.com2

Organization’s ability to enable employees to collaborate remotely5

12%23%26% 36% 4%

21%25%18% 29% 8%

Internally (e.g., with peers/colleagues, etc.)

Externally (e.g., with vendors, partners, etc.)

62% Excellent/Very Good

47% Excellent/Very Good

Excellent Very Good Good Fair PoorKEY:

Just how critical is it?CHAPTER 2

Prioritization of collaboration

Just how critical is it? 9

With so many benefits from workplace collaboration, it’s not surprising that three quarters of respon-dents rank collaboration as a medium or higher priority, with almost half (46%) ranking it as high or critical to their organization.5

“The ability to collaborate on a global scale is very important, as the company I work for has offices across the country and around the world. If we can’t communicate, we miss out on income opportu-nities,” says one network administrator.5

No matter the size of your organization, employees notice how you handle collaboration, and it makes an impact. Thirty-nine percent of millennial respondents in the Queens University survey said their organization doesn’t collaborate enough.4

It’s worth noting, however, that larger organizations (500—2,499 employees) were more likely to prioritize collaboration (66%), as were C-level and senior IT staff (70%).5 From large campuses with multiple buildings to global branch offices, it makes sense that collaboration is table stakes for large organizations, given the likelihood of dispersed teams—and team members.

Smaller organizations (<500 employees), on the other hand, typically have fewer employees, so fewer remote employees or teams—therefore less demand for collaboration overall. And because many smaller orga-nizations also have fewer sites/branches, lower budgets, and less complex business practices, it’s not shocking that they’re lagging in prioritizing collaboration: just 25% of respondents from these organizations consider it essential or a high priority.5 But with the continued growth in global-ization, even smaller organizations are going to need to collaborate more effectively.

Current importance of collaboration to IT strategy5

12%32%22% 24% 6%

Essential High Medium Low Not a priorityPRIORITY LEVEL:

46% Essential/High Priority

66%

25%

The future of collaborationCHAPTER 3

The future of collaboration 11

So, what exactly is driving investments in collab-oration initiatives? The need for closer/faster interactions with business partners; increasing numbers of remote workers; employee desires to collaborate with peers more ad hoc and more often; and the increasing number and frequency of meetings—which is also driving a trend toward equipping meeting spaces with more collaborative tools. Not to mention supporting virtual teams, which 85% of respondents to an RW3 survey say they work on.1

“We are in a constant state of construction/up-grade, so our capabilities need to not only be

up to date, but highly functioning. We meet with vendors, contractors, staff, and sub-contractors frequently and usually via video, phone, or both,” says one system administrator.5

According to a surveyed IT manager, “Our work- force is highly mobile. Without centralized loca-tions, the need to ensure access to tools and data is continuously growing.”5

Smart companies are getting the message. “Remote collaboration, as well as app usage, is the way of the future,” says a surveyed IT vice president.5

Drivers to invest in remote collaboration5

Need for closer/faster interactions with business partners

Increasing number/ frequency of meetings

Increasing numbers of remote workers

Employees wanting more flexibility

Employees wanting to collaborate with remote peers more ad hoc and more often

42% 41%

42% 40%

42%

Expected value of improved remote collaboration5

Future importance of collaboration to IT strategy5

In the Spiceworks survey, 63% of respondents ranked collaboration as a high priority or as essen-tial to future IT strategy—including 75% of those with large organizations (500–2,499 employees).5 Even smaller organizations, most of which aren’t currently prioritizing collaboration, realize it’s critical for the future: Half of respondents from organizations with 100–499 employees say col-laboration is essential to their future IT strategy.5

8%27%30% 33% 3%

63% Essential/High Priority

Essential High Medium Low Not a priorityPRIORITY LEVEL:

75%

50%

Priority at large organizations (500–2,499 empoyees)

Priority at smaller organizations(100–499 empoyees)

18% 29%

Extremely valuable Very valuable OtherKEY:

47% Extremely/Very Valuable

The future of collaboration 13

Evolving use of collaboration tools

With workplace changes driving increased collaboration, using the right tools becomes critical to your organization’s success—current and future.

Most organizations are still using more traditional—but arguably less effective—means of collabo-ration. According to Spiceworks survey respondents, voice solutions are still the most common way end-users collaborate with colleagues and customers. But respondents also use a variety of other more immersive or interactive solutions, including shared document creation/editing, audio conferenc-ing, and web/screen sharing.5

Frequency of collaboration tool use5

90% Desk phones

74%Audio

conferencing

84%Mobile phones

71%Web/Screen

sharing

77%Shared document creation/editing

The future of collaboration 14

Creating dynamic meeting spaces

Over the next three years, Spiceworks survey respondents anticipate the use of interactive collabo-ration tools to grow significantly, including those that enable shared document creation and editing, web/screen sharing, and group video conferencing.

It makes sense that as organizations become more dispersed—with teams located all over the world— the need for productive and interactive collaboration will also grow. Equipping meeting spaces with audio-only can’t fully capture the emotions and facial expressions that people need to communicate most effectively. Collaboration solutions are going to become more interactive, combining audio, content, and video to make communication as productive as possible. IT pro responses to the Spiceworks survey support this point.

Anticipated change in collaboration tools use within the next 3 years5 (reporting % increase)

Shared document creation/editing

Web conferencing

Web/screen sharing

PC/software/web-based voice, video and content collaboration

Group video conferencing

67%

65%

66%

61%

65%

The bottom line? The data shows us that companies are increasingly enabling more interactive collaboration by outfitting more meeting rooms with collaboration equipment—ostensibly to support the growing number of virtual teams and the expectations and demands of today’s generation of workers.

Overall, we can see that mid-sized organizations are rapidly embracing collaboration tools and tech-nologies, and the research shows they plan to increase their investments in the very near future. All signs point to the fact that organizations that don’t keep up will be left behind .

Rooms equipped for remote collaboration—current and future5

Huddle/Focus rooms

Open conferencing and collaboration rooms/areas

Conference rooms

39%

45%

54%

55%

59%

68%

Current In next 3 yearsKEY:

How collaboration affects ITCHAPTER 4

How collaboration affects IT 17

While enabling collaboration can definitely make employees’ jobs easier, doing so can generate different challenges for busy IT teams. The main issue is the least predictable and most difficult to control: End users. That’s the case even when IT teams think they’ve set up collaboration tools for ease of use and have thoroughly trained their end users.

While end users can be frustrating, collaboration in the workplace is not going away. So, it’s up to IT to lead the way by choosing collaboration solutions that are good for both IT and end users. For ex-ample, tools that are not only simple to use, but simple to deploy and manage. That’s the only way an organization can achieve all the productivity and agility benefits from increasing collaboration.

“A user couldn’t figure out why other meeting attendees couldn’t see her. The webcam was covered with tape.”

“Once I spent a lot of time helping a user try to start a WebEx conference—when it turns out the link sent was for a GoToMeeting.”

“I had a user put an overhead transparency into a laptop on top of the keyboard, then shut the laptop thinking that would somehow transmit the image.”

From the Spiceworks survey, here are a few end-user anecdotes from IT pros:5

Top 3 end-user challenges with remote collaboration tools/solutions5

Ability of employ-ees to use without IT help

End-user learning curve

End-user confusion from using multiple tools50% 49% 45%

Section Title 18

How to choose the right collaboration solution

CHAPTER 5

How to choose the right collaboration solution 19

From the research, we can learn a lot about what’s critical when deploying collaboration solutions—and you can use this knowledge to expand your organization’s collaboration capabilities.

Security is the most critical feature when considering or evaluating collaboration tools/solutions/ capabilities/providers, according to almost 80% of survey respondents.

Top five factors of importance5

78%

74%

74%

73%

70%

Of course, security is also a top concern when exposing the network to remote access for collab- oration; almost all survey respondents (96%) are concerned about security threats/breaches via these tools.5

IT is right to be concerned; in a study by enterprise open-source software company Alfresco, only 38% of end-users thought about security when collaborating externally. Fifty-one percent of these end users didn’t have a problem using public document sharing tools for work collaboration, while only 16% said they didn’t use such tools since they weren’t approved for use at their workplace.9

Security

Ease of use

Proven Reliability

Cost/value

Quality of experience

$ $$ $ $$ $$ $ $

Conclusion 20

That last point is one that particularly concerns IT teams. Surveyed respondents worry about employees using unsanctioned collaboration tools, such as home-use laptops or shadow IT tools—information- technology systems and solutions built and used inside organizations without explicit organizational (or IT) approval.

Are you ready?It’s up to IT to not let your company fall behind. Ensure you have the collaboration solutions your organization needs to be a competitive force in the market.

Learn how Polycom can help . LEARN MORE

As you research the best collaboration solutions for your organization, keep these factors in mind and look for tools—and vendors—that address these concerns.

Conclusion

There’s no doubt about the fact that work and the workforce are changing, and remote collaboration tools are critical in helping mid-sized organizations leverage these changes to better serve their customers and gain a competitive advantage. People—and especially millennials—want to talk with each other naturally, from anywhere. They want to connect from any location, and they expect that experience to feel the same as meeting in person. Enabling teams with the right features and tools will make your collaboration stronger, more secure, and more productive. Providing myriad modes of collaboration—audio, content, and video—enables the most productive conversations.

Today—and even more so in the not-so-distant future—remote collaboration tools are critical to the competitiveness and success of your organization. Smart organizations are increasing their collab- oration capabilities now.

Biggest concerns with collaboration tool/solution security5

39% 33% 29% 28% 27%Employees using

unsanctioned collaboration tools

Hacking the system

End user error (e.g. turning

off encryption)

Storage of recordings and other content

Compliance with new regulations

(e.g. GDPR)

Sources:

1 “Trends in Global Virtual Teams: Virtual Teams Survey Report 2016,” RW3 Culture Wizard, 2016. http://cdn.culturewizard.com/PDF/Trends_in_VT_Report_4-17-2016.pdf

2 “The Year of the Ecosystem: Top Three Trends in Collaboration Tools for 2017,” Forbes, March 20, 2017. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescommunicationscouncil/2017/03/20/the-year-of-the- ecosystem-top-three-trends-in-collaboration-tools-for-2017/#4e9377fb3ad6

3 “Global Generations: A Global Study on Work-Life Challenges Across Generations,” EY, 2015. http://www.ey.com/us/en/about-us/our-people-and-culture/ey-work-life-challenges-across- generations-global-study

4 “Communicating in the Modern Workplace,” Queens University of Charlotte. http://online.queens.edu/online-programs/mba/resources/infographic/communicating-in-the-workplace

5 Spiceworks survey of 200 IT decision-makers in the United States, on behalf of Polycom, July 2017.

6 “2017 Deloitte Global Human Capital Trends,” Deloitte, 2017. https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/global/Documents/HumanCapital/hc-2017-global human-capital-trends-gx.pdf

7 “Why Collaboration Is No Longer Just a Strategy but Key to Long-term Business Success,” Microsoft, April 21, 2017. https://blogs.business.microsoft.com/en-us/2017/04/21/collaboration-no-longer-just-strategy -kkey-long-term-business-success/

8 “The 2017 Deloitte Millennial Survey,” Deloitte, 2017. https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/global/Documents/About-Deloitte/gx-deloitte- millennial-survey-2017-executive-summary.pdf

9 “Collaboration Trends and Technology: A Survey of Knowledge Workers,” Dimensional Research, sponsored by Alfresco, August 2015. https://www.alfresco.com/sites/www.alfresco.com/files/dimesional-research-collab-survey- findings-report-082415.pdf