Capterra’s two-part survey delves into challenges faced by hybrid and remote employees who collaborate virtually with colleagues, some of whom are located abroad. As virtual teams become commonplace, well-defined meeting strategies are needed to maintain effective relationships across borders. With businesses anticipating growth in international collaborations, the survey underscores the importance for organizations to adapt to evolving trends and establish collaboration norms.
Overstuffed meeting agendas pose risk to employee focus and productivity
In this first part of the survey conducted across Canada, only 8% of surveyed employees stated they never switch focus during meetings. When asked why they lose focus during meetings, employees blamed overly long meetings, irrelevant information, and having to listen to one person dominate the discussion. This not only hampers employee engagement but also jeopardizes productivity.
To address this issue, a few steps can be taken, such as , emphasizing timely starts and ends, implementing 'meeting-free days' (much like Shopify recently did), and setting clear meeting objectives and participant lists.
Canada global leader in virtual-first meeting policies
In this survey spanning 13 countries, Canada emerged as a leader in adopting mostly virtual meeting policies, with 45% of respondents indicating a preference for virtual meetings. The survey sheds light on the popularity of virtual meetings and the factors contributing to their success.
The importance of multilingual communication in Canadian workplaces is also very prevalent. With 70% of respondents collaborating with colleagues who speak different native languages, these findings highlight the need for inclusive meeting policies and potentially specialized training for employees working in diverse, multilingual teams.
87% affirm the efficacy of their workplace collaboration tools
In the second part of the survey, the large majority of Canadian remote and hybrid employees affirm the efficacy of their workplace collaboration tools. The survey highlights the need to address the remaining 13% and optimize digital workspaces for heightened teamwork.
As employees collaborate more frequently with international colleagues, the likelihood of having a manager located abroad increases. To foster successful virtual connections, it is essential for team leaders to establish reliable schedules and leverage the right communication tools. The survey indicates that 38% of respondents foresee an increase in cross-country collaboration within the next year. With 83% of business leaders predicting growth in the following year, including potential global expansion, it becomes crucial to adapt to evolving trends in international teamwork.
64% find maintaining project deadlines easy, embracing diverse collaboration
While over half of respondents find it easy to maintain project deadlines in international teams, 36% rate it as challenging to some degree. Frequent collaboration may be aided by project management tools, some of which can track milestones, processes and tasks especially when working across different time zones.
The top-cited benefit of participating in global teams is the flexible work environment, as reported by 33% of survey-takers. Other benefits include gaining an understanding of different work cultures (32%), fostering creativity and innovation (31%), gaining new perspectives for problem-solving (30%), and experiencing a technology-enabled workplace (30%). Despite the challenges of volatile work hours, language barriers, and cultural differences, 85% of surveyed employees view cultural differences as learning opportunities, which is promising for the future of diverse teams.
About Capterra: Capterra helps organizations around the world find the right software for their needs. Founded in 1999, Capterra's global product footprint, verified user reviews backbone, independent research, and tailored comparison tools, provide more than five million in-market buyers with a confidence-building discovery experience every month. For more information, visit www.capterra.ca
Media Contact: eleanor.pitcher@gartner.com
Methodology: The data for Capterra’s 2024 State of Collaboration and Productivity Survey was collected in January 2024 among 6490 respondents in the U.S. (n=503), U.K. (n=496), Canada (n=499), Netherlands (n=498), Brazil (n=501), India (n=500), France (n=497), Spain (n=501), Germany (n=497), Italy (n=500), Mexico (n=500), Australia (n=500), and Japan (n=498). The goal of the study was to learn about the challenges workers face collaborating remotely across countries. Respondents were screened for employment at companies that offer either hybrid or fully remote work styles.