Employee demand for videoconferencing on the rise

Survey shows demand for VC is present but businesses failing to invest

Over 70 per cent of businesses have noted employee demand for desktop collaboration tools, such as videoconferencing (VC) within their organisations, but only one in five companies are significantly investing in this technology, new research has found.

The findings, carried out by analyst firm Quocirca on behalf of VC vendor Tandberg, revealed that businesses are seeing an increasing demand in the workplace for interactive communication tools as users become more video aware than ever before.

“An entire generation is entering the workplace, completely comfortable with video through social networking sites, webcams and mobile phones,” said Rob Bamforth, principle analyst at Quocirca. “This will undoubtedly impact the technology and communication tools that they will expect in the workplace.”

Of those surveyed that already used VC, 80 per cent declared that video communication had strengthened relationships, sped up meetings and made participants pay more attention, while 64 per cent recognized that VC technology had become more affordable.

Paul Gullett, Tandberg's EMEA president, said: “The capabilities of today’s VC technology coupled with changing employee attitudes means that businesses are discovering a wide range of business benefits from investing in video communications. Employees are ready for it, the business benefits are clear and with only 20 per cent of organisations significantly investing in it, the opportunity to gain competitive advantage is massive.”