Report touts benefits of asynchronous collaboration formats to cut down on meeting time
Nearly half of business leaders in Australia believe that their time is overspent on meetings, which they think can be used productively elsewhere, according to a new report from Zoom.
The report, which surveyed 750 Australian business leaders, found that 56% of respondents believe that they could be more productive if they dedicated meeting time to other tasks at work.
This sentiment comes as more than four in 10 respondents feel their time is overspent on:
- In-person meetings (44%)
- Emails (46%)
- Virtual meetings (45%)
In fact, the report found that over two in five full-time respondents dedicate three hours or more to virtual meetings in an average workday.
According to Zoom, leveraging other asynchronous collaboration formats, such as instant messaging, whiteboards, and project management software, could help create a more balanced approach to collaboration.
"By using other collaboration formats, organisations can optimise their in-person meetings, helping to ensure that face-to-face interactions are reserved for critical discussions while routine tasks are handled efficiently. This strategic approach maximises overall productivity and empowers teams to work smarter, not harder," said Bede Hackney, Head of ANZ Zoom, in a statement.
Challenges beyond meetings
But the issue of meetings is just one of the manifestations of the bigger collaboration challenges faced by business leaders.
The report, which was carried out by Morning Consult, found that about one-third of Australian team leaders spend an hour or more each day resolving collaboration challenges.
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Four in 10 also said they spend more than one hour on resolving misunderstandings or miscommunications within their teams.
To address the problem, the report suggested that organisations embrace a balanced communication strategy that covers synchronous and asynchronous platforms.
Artificial intelligence will also be a game-changer for productivity, according to Hackney.
"By seamlessly integrating AI into daily workflows, organisations can significantly reduce miscommunication, allowing leaders to reclaim precious hours lost to inefficient collaboration," the Zoom ANZ head said.
"This shift not only enhances productivity but also helps drive better outcomes across the board."