Top Tools for Collaboration

Computerworld highlights a recent report by Forester Research that examined how American workers make use of computers, smart phones and key productivity and collaboration tools at work.

The report, which stems from a survey of more than 2,000 office workers who use a computer, found that e-mail and the telephone remain the primary means of business communication. Instant messaging trailed behind, with less than 25 percent of workers using the tool with some frequency. About 10 percent of workers said they use video conferencing technology at work, and only 15 percent reported using social networks at work. This is interesting, especially considering that a large number of respondents (30 percent) said they work in teams where members are in different locations, and 11 percent said they work regularly with employees of other firms.

The results suggest that IT managers may be out of synch with their workforces, and as a result, they should ensure that workers have the ability to work in distributed teams. IT managers also should find out why these new communication tools are unused, the article states, as the problem could be issues with training or the technology itself.

It seems as if the results have some implications for government, especially considering most agencies have employees dispersed throughout the country and also perform work using outside contractors. What are the primary means of communication at your agency? Are there any barriers hindering the use of new communication tools?