Remote workers being given too many tools: Citrix

Employees left working from home amid the COVID-19 pandemic feel they’ve been given too many collaboration tools but not enough efficient ways to execute their roles, research from Citrix indicates.

A survey of 1000 IT decision-makers and 2000 workers in the US found that 64% of workers are using more communication and collaboration tools than they were prior to the pandemic. But 71% of employees say these tools have made work more complex.

The research found that people are working the same or more hours but getting less work done due to technology barriers, according to Citrix EVP of business strategy Tim Minahan.

“As companies organise around new, hybrid work models, they need to rethink the role of technology and how they apply it across their organisations so that employees, rather than being frustrated, are empowered to succeed,” he said.

But despite the frustrations with remote work, nearly 90% of respondents said they wanted the flexibility to continue to work either at home or in the office post-pandemic.

A similar proportion of participants said their companies use digital workspace software platforms to facilitate hybrid and distributed working.

Of these, 72% said the platforms have improved productivity and 77% indicated they have aided collaboration.

“In creating a layer between employees and the technology that frustrates them, companies can empower them to efficiently engage with the apps they need to execute work and achieve their goals,” Minahan said.

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