Adobe: businesses driven to increase digitalisation and collaboration by continued uncertainty

In its second annual global “Future of Time” study, Adobe Document Cloud has published new findings on the evolution of work. 

In a statement, Adobe said the study reveals over 70 per cent of managers and workers concur that change has replaced stability in the workplace, and people now rely on digital technologies to maintain productivity as well as to find peace of mind during particularly worrisome periods.

Adobe Document Cloud Vice President Todd Gerber said businesses of all sizes continue to grapple with considerable uncertainty, as well as frequent impacts on employee well-being and productivity.

“Adapting to macroeconomics shifts necessitate that organizations prioritize strategic investments in digital technologies — including modern productivity and workflow tools like Document Cloud — that will enable better workforce productivity, collaboration and innovation,” Gerber stated. 

Over 9,700 employees, enterprise (ENT) managers and small business (SMB) executives were polled for Adobe’s report, “The Future of Time: Redefining Productivity During Uncertainty,” which provides a thorough analysis of how uncertainty has affected workforce productivity, cooperation, and innovation. Along with difficulties that are specific to a particular region, the top worldwide worries include economic instability, climatic changes, and COVID-19 variations.

According to Adobe, due to the ongoing uncertainty, 76 per cent of workers said a breaking news event might affect their day for a few hours, and 70 per cent of managers and employees said they spend more time at work reading or discussing news coverage than they did a year ago. 

This uncertainty has reduced efficiency and productivity for all employees, with Generation Z (93 per cent) and millennials (87 per cent) experiencing greater impacts than previous generations, such as 79 per cent of Gen X staff and 71 per cent of boomers and their older counterparts.

However, in these uncertain times, the majority of employees (58 per cent) see work as a pleasant distraction. By utilising digital tools in novel, creative ways, businesses of all sizes are innovatively maintaining employee engagement and support. As a result, staff members are ready to co-create the future of work and have an impact on revolutionary projects. The majority of employees indicated that uncertainty had forced them to innovate in their jobs, such as using new procedures and innovative problem-solving approaches, and one in four expects their employers to innovate in the coming year by giving them the opportunity to experiment with new processes.

As businesses update old procedures to increase their competitiveness and resilience in a world that is constantly changing, persistent workplace instability has sparked innovation.

• For their staff to be supported throughout the uncertainty of the previous year, over a third of business managers have made investments in new technologies.
• The vast majority (84 per cent) of managers noted at least one advantage of increased workplace innovation, including effects on work efficiency (62 per cent of SMBs and 66 per cent of ENT managers) and work culture (58 per cent of SMBs and 63 per cent of ENT managers). A sizeable proportion also noted improvements in work-life balance (31 per cent of SMBs and 34 per cent of ENT managers).

Employees are increasingly looking for purpose-driven jobs at organisations that put emphasis on investing in cutting-edge technologies and employee welfare as a result of the ongoing uncertainties.

• Employees who actively shape their workplace cultures are more likely to be satisfied, according to the majority of leaders and employees, who say they now have higher expectations for purpose-driven organisational cultures than they did a year ago.
• More than two-thirds of managers predict that their enterprises’ cultures will be more digitised (71 per cent of ENT managers, 69 per cent of SMB managers) and collaborative (76 per cent of each) in the upcoming year than ever before, assisting both workers and businesses in navigating the uncertain future.
• Digital technologies are used by almost seven out of ten managers and staff members to reduce stress at work, keep productive when they are having difficulties focusing, and lessen the burden of finishing work when a coworker needs to take time off unexpectedly. However, in order to help employees through uncertain times, 68 per cent of ENT managers and 59 per cent of SMB leaders said they need more tools and resources.
• In addition to helping managers with well-being check-ins, providing easier feedback between staff and leaders, and encouraging employee engagement, over 70 per cent of employees and managers think that digital solutions are facilitating and improving work relationships.

Regeneron global head of application services & intelligent automation Jai Gulati said developing the finest methods and using the best technologies should all be done with the goal of assisting everyone from scientists to consumers in this new era of hybrid work and life.

“For example, we use digital solutions including Adobe Acrobat Sign to increase internal efficiencies, but more importantly, to improve the experience for document signers so they have a fast, easy and touchless method of handling records,” Gulati stated. 

Adobe Document Cloud empowers individuals and businesses of all sizes to turn inefficient operations into contemporary, efficient digital experiences. Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Acrobat Sign, and strong companion mobile apps such as Acrobat Reader and Adobe Scan are all part of Document Cloud.