Livestorm Survey of American Workers Finds Video Conferencing Is Here to Stay Even as Many Plot Return to the Office

BOSTON, May 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Livestorm, which is transforming online events with its end-to-end video communication platform, announced today the results of a new survey of 1,128 American workers on their video conferencing use and plans to return to the office. 

Video conferencing has become the primary communications means for many workers. 68 percent of respondents reported increased use of video conferencing in the past 12 months - and only 1 in 3 believe it will decrease in the next 12 months, even as 60 percent of them say they'll be back in the office at least part-time by the end of 2021.

Survey findings include:

• Web conferencing is here to stay despite office reopenings. 68 percent expect their use of video conferencing to remain the same (44 percent) or increase (24 percent) for the next 12 months.
• Technical difficulties and connection issues continue to vex more than half of workers. Top fears or problems with video conferencing are: Technical difficulties (62 percent), Connection difficulties (57 percent), and Attention and concentration (40 percent).
• Respondents value the convenience and safety video conferencing brings. What respondents like the most: Convenience (76 percent), Safety (45 percent), Less commuting (45 percent), and Not having to dress up (40 percent).
• Respondents are most frustrated by connection problems. What they like the least: Tech or connection problems (50 percent), Miss in-person interactions (46 percent), and Seeing myself on camera (44 percent). "Miss in-person interactions" was the top choice for men; "Technology problems" and "Seeing myself on camera" were #1 and #2 for women respectively. 
• Older workers miss in-person interactions the most. "Miss in-person interactions" was far and away the top choice for respondents over 60 years of age - they were 50 percent more likely to say they missed in-person interactions.
• Workers ages 18-35 were concerned about their ability to concentrate during video conferencing but were also most likely to report that they could work on something else during a web conference. This points to the need for organizers to make events more engaging, with features like polls, chat interactions and emojis.
• One in six plan to work remotely indefinitely. When asked when they would be back in the office either full-time or part-time, the survey found 27 percent are already back full-time, and 12 percent are in the office at least part-time. Overall, 60 percent plan to be in the office at least part-time by the end of 2021. 13.5 percent have no firm timeline to return to the office but plan to do so eventually, and 16 percent (about one in six) plan to work remotely indefinitely. People over the age of 60 were twice as likely to say they planned to work remotely indefinitely. People ages 30-60 were 72 percent more likely to have already returned to the office.

"Video conferencing will be a primary communications channel for workers going forward, even as more physical offices reopen," said Gilles Bertaux, co-founder and CEO of Livestorm. "But platform vendors need to make the technology easier to use, do a better job helping events organizers navigate technical issues, and make events themselves more engaging so that employees can participate effectively." 

About Livestorm

Livestorm is transforming online events, with the easiest way to incorporate video into any type of communication, to connect and engage their audience. Livestorm is the first video communications platform that allows businesses to host meetings, webinars or events with two to thousands of people completely in a mobile or desktop browser. The Livestorm platform manages online events from end to end, from promotion and registration through post-event ROI analysis. More than 4,000 companies from startups to Fortune 500 companies rely on Livestorm, including brands such as Honda, AB Tasty, Pipedrive, Spendesk, Front and Revolut. Learn more at https://livestorm.co/.

Media contact:
Kerry Metzdorf
Big Swing
978-463-2575
[email protected]

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Livestorm is transforming online events, with the easiest way to incorporate video into any type of communication, to connect and engage their audience.

SOURCE Livestorm