GENM 2013: ONE YEAR ONAre we reaping the rewards of the ‘communications revolution’?

In 2012 we revealed the industry's biggest ever survey into how people use modern communication tools…

And we discovered GenM…the generation that sought to

work how and when they wanted

Who is GenM?

In 2013, we returned to the workforce, to ask:

‘Now that you can work how and when you want, how is this

working for you?’

WHO DID WE ASK?

• 72% work mainly in an office

WHERE DO THEY WORK?

• 9% work mainly in a call centre, telemarketing, helpdesk or customer services environment

• 3% work elsewhere, but carry out office-based work

• 4% work mainly ‘on the move’

• 12% work mainly from home

• 72% work mainly in an office

So what did we find?

Despite the hype, the role of social media is being

overplayed…

As just 5% use Facebook or LinkedIn to communicate

for work purposes 

The desk phone is not dead!

It continues to be the most popular communication device in the

workplace

SO WHAT ARE THE MOST-USED COMMUNICATION TOOLS IN THE

WORKPLACE?

Deskphone

Email

Mobile phone

Laptop

Text messages

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

ALARMINGLY, ONE YEAR ON…

… Just 40% of workers are actually satisfied that they have tools they need to get

the job done

 But why does this matter?

…because 4 out of 10 people stated they

would change jobs for the right communications

tools! 

…as 40% of us are working longer out-of-office hours than

ever before!

Having a good work-life balance is also important to us, but very few UK workers are getting it…

A work-life balance can potentially be achieved through

working from home

BUT…

55% of office workers think home working breeds mistrust

And a third of workers also believe that

working from home can put your career

at risk

In fact, we have become such a nation of unhappy

workers…

75% of us admit we have suffered some form of

emotional or interpersonal problem

at work

We also uncovered the top five issues in the workplace

Sense of being undervalued

Poor interpersonal relationships at work

Feeling of anxiety and stress

Exhaustion

Feeling of isolation from co-workers

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

BUT THERE ARE WAYS WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE…

Start a dialogue: Survey the people in your own company and find out what is and isn’t working for them from a technology perspective

CYOD/BYOD: Consider offering employees the chance to either choose or bring their own devices into the workplace

Keeping the hours down: Regular one-to-ones with managers provide structure to the working week and supports a reduction in work hours

1.2.

3.

4.

5.

Building trust: Regular team meetings via video, conference calls or Google Hangouts allow all personnel to contribute, providing a sense of unity for the entire team

Make sure you have a flexible working policy: Don’t just wait until your staff request flexible or remote working - offer it to them as a benefit and make it a key component of your recruitment and retention policy

Never forget the importance of making workers feel appreciated and part of a team

The power of speech is at the heart of all problem solving; maintain a level of appropriate, personal, visual or verbal communication with colleagues at all times

Always consider GenM’s evolution of communications habits and device requirements – as it can affect happiness, attitudes and interactions in the workplace

AND IF YOU ONLY REMEMBERTHREE THINGS FROM THIS…

To read and download the full

GenM 2013: One Year On report please visit:

www.jabra.co.uk/genm2013

PHOTO ATTRIBUTIONS

Facebook logo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ajc1/503165914/

LinkedIn logo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/matthewgain/4633798280/

Jabra lifestyle: https://www.jabra.co.uk/MediaLibrary

Telephone: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wiertz/4334606475/

Stress: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bennett4senate/4463996041/

All other images: Microsoft PowerPoint ClipArt