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 (opens in new tab) 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.
