Dialing In, Tuning Out

Transcription

1 Dialing In, Tuning Out What Employees Really Do on Conference Calls and What You Can Do About It InterCall October 2014

2 Mobile Conferencing s Moment New collaboration tools are forcing a shift in how we work, and how we communicate with colleagues and clients. Given the pervasive adoption of mobile devices, traditional meetings can be taken from the most non-traditional places (bathrooms and beaches included). Methodology InterCall, the world s largest conferencing and collaboration provider, sifted through mobile call data and surveyed more than 500 full-time employees to get a stronger grasp of how mobile conferencing is changing day-to-day business, and what exactly people are up to during conference calls.

3 Mobile Meeting Usage on the Rise As more employees begin using smartphones, tablets and phablets for work and personal use, the incidence of mobile conferencing has followed suit % % +9% Total mobile calls into conferences were up 42% over the last 2 years Mobile accounted for 19.4% of all conferencing minutes in 2011, compared to 21.2% in 2013 Mobile s inherent flexibility is quickly making it the conferencing medium of choice, with 64% of employees preferring to take conference calls via mobile devices rather than a landline

4 How Much Flexibility Is Too Much? The modern employee s inclination to multitask and stay agile is further enabled by mobile conferencing. 82% of InterCall survey Truck stop bathroom In the middle of the woods respondents admitted to working on unrelated items while on a conference call, which is unsurprising, given the array of places employees have admitted to taking calls from: McDonald s Playplace Behind a church during a wedding rehearsal Disney World Closet during a house party Emergency Room

5 65% 1. 63% 2. The Top 10 Things People Do Other Work 55% 3. Send s Do During Conference Calls Eat or Make Food % 44% Go to the Restroom Text

6 43% % Check Social Media Play Video Games The Top % Things People Do During 9. Shop Online 10. Conference 9% 6% Calls Exercise Take Another Call

7 Conference Call Confessions In today s always-on business, multitasking between s and other work responsibilities is hardly the most controversial aspect of conference call behavior. Consider that: 39% 27% 5% 39% of employees have quietly dropped off a call to pretend they were still on 27% of employees have fallen asleep during a conference call 5% of employees had a friend take a work conference call in their place

8 Old Habits Die Hard, But New Habits Are Quicker to Kill Don t knock the technology, knock the process. While a majority of employees admit to not giving their full attention during conference calls, there are a number of management and technology solutions to combat false participation problems.

9 5 Ways to Break Bad Call Behaviors Show invitation discretion: If someone doesn t truly need to be on a call, don t invite them. Only include the most relevant stakeholders to the topic or project at hand. Pass the mic: A simple way to keep participants active during a call is through inclusion. Calling on each person to speak or ask questions in a conference encourages attentiveness throughout. Activity productivity: Joining a meeting for the sake of looking busy doesn t equate to high-quality business results. Company leaders must promote a culture of true productivity and involvement Appeal to multiple senses: Audio alone may not be enough to hold callers attention (especially when 65% of people are visual learners). Integrating video and other multimedia content fosters a more engaging conference experience for all. Eliminate end-user fumbling: If participants have trouble dialing in to a conference call, chances are they won t stay tuned in during it. Technology that removes end-user hassle can set the tone for a successful meeting from the start.

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