Uncertainty and change are driving workplace innovation, but also creating new headaches for businesses, a report from Adobe Document Cloud has claimed.
A survey of businesses across the US, UK, France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and India revealed 70% of managers and employees agree that “change has become the new constant in the workplace”.
But despite fueling employee anxiety, 68% of SMB leaders and 77% of enterprise managers believe “constant uncertainty is forcing their business to find new ways to collaborate.”
The only certainty is uncertainty
The economy, politics, climate change, gun violence, and Covid-19. These are the top concerns of managers and employees across both enterprises and SMBs, Adobe’s Future of Time report revealed.
Those concerns have consumed the workplace, with 70% of managers and employees claiming to discuss current affairs more than they did last year. And that’s bad news for employees, 1 in 3 of whom reported that increased uncertainty has made it difficult for them to focus on work.
However, it’s not just employees who may fear being pushed to the edge. While 39% of employees are considering a new job in 2023, so are managers (41%) and small business leaders (34%). Among those who feel their employer isn’t aligned to their values, 52% admitted they may pursue a new job.
But it’s not all bad news - and it seems digital tools may hold the key to re-engagement.
According to Adobe, where companies have invested in digital solutions, employees were “twice as likely to say they have experienced better work-life balance as a result of innovation,” compared to firms lacking online collaboration and creation tools. And 20% said they’ve experienced greater efficiency and better working relationships with colleagues.
Business leaders have also witnessed similar results. 80% said they’ve observed “at least one benefit of increased innovation in the workplace, including higher productivity and higher efficiency.”
Responding to the concerns of those in the business, 71% of SMB leaders and 81% of enterprise managers believe their organizations will become increasingly digitized over the next year, to help employers and employees navigate uncertainty in the future.
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