Close to 43% of employees grapple to locate documents, making collaboration and communication a challenge

Igloo Software released its second annual State of the Digital Workplace report, which examines trends and progress in the ways employees communicate, collaborate, and share knowledge in the workplace.

The study found 43 percent of employees have avoided sharing a document with a colleague because they couldn’t locate it or believed that tracking it down would take too long, pointing to a disconnect in the way company information is stored and accessed. As organizations continue to digitally transform, it’s crucial for decision-makers to prioritize knowledge sharing and collaboration – a challenge businesses have faced for decades.

In addition to uncovering knowledge sharing and communication challenges as a whole, the study examined specific trends like privacy, remote working, and social media habits.

Igloo assists companies move beyond traditional intranets to inspiring digital destinations that improve communication, knowledge sharing, collaboration, and culture.  All Igloo solutions are fully, cloud-based, mobile-enabled, and integrate with enterprise systems and cloud apps that the business relies on. By centralizing all information, Igloo provides a single-source-of-truth and enables a more productive and engaged workforce.

Other findings from the report include 69% of remote workers feel that the tools they use are causing them to miss out on important communication and collaboration opportunities that working in an office would not present;

55% use a non-company approved communication app because it’s more user friendly and less likely to be monitored or tracked; and 71% of directors (and above) said they have not posted something to social media because they have concerns a coworker might see it.

“There’s no shortage of communication or knowledge management apps available to businesses today, but it’s important to understand your workforce’s specific challenges before rolling them out,” said Igloo Software CMO Mike Hicks. “We’re seeing businesses adopt more applications with the goal of increasing productivity, yet this approach continues to yield discouraging results for both employees and the organization. This study provides business leaders with a closer look into the major workplace challenges of 2019, and will assist in determining the type of digital workplace solutions that best fit their company’s needs.”

“Igloo has now conducted this study for two consecutive years, and the feedback we receive helps us understand how we can continue to develop innovative digital workplace solutions,” added Hicks. “What motivates Igloo each day is continuing to find better ways to unite organizations and improve the way work happens. Every organization needs to be aware of the workplace challenges identified in this study and take corrective actions to address them. Modernizing their intranet and creating a digital destination for employees is a great first step that helps drive productivity, innovation, and creates a real competitive advantage. Improving the employee experience has a direct impact on the customer experience. It’s really that simple.”