Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Subscribe
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Subscribe
    Home Latest News
    • Networking
    • Small Business

    Virtual Meetings on the Rise, but Value Is Still Debatable

    Written by

    Nathan Eddy
    Published August 11, 2014
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.

      More than half of workers surveyed by LogMeIn and Ovum are seeing an increase in the sheer number of meetings they are expected to attend, with two-thirds of these workers indicating that at least half of those meetings are not of value.

      Among the key findings were that virtual meetings–collaboration sessions where one or more participants attend via teleconferencing and/or Web conferencing–now account for more than 30 percent of all meetings.

      The survey also revealed employees are having more meetings than ever before, with 91 percent of all employees surveyed saying that the number of meetings they are having is either static or rising.

      Late start times were cited as a key reason that meetings are perceived to fail to deliver value and are costing executives nearly three hours a week–five and a half days per year–in lost time and productivity.

      Meetings are increasing because, in general, workplaces are encouraging collaboration–between individual, teams, divisions and locations, Craig Daniel, vice president of collaboration products at LogMeIn, told eWEEK, noting there has been a dramatic increase of tablets and smartphones replacing PCs as the virtual meeting tool of choice.

      “We found that 55 percent of workers are using smart devices to share documents and visuals with other people in the meeting as an alternative to using a projector or monitor,” Daniel explained. “Also, the growing number of cloud apps being brought into the workplace means this personal choice isn’t just limited to hardware.”

      The survey found more than 60 percent of workers are taking laptops, nearly 50 percent are taking smartphones and almost 30 percent are taking tablets into in-person, face-to-face meetings.

      With the evolving needs for meetings, 66 percent of corporate buyers report that they are actively looking for new collaboration solutions to replace traditional Web conferencing tools, the report noted.

      More than 40 percent cite a better user experience as a primary driver, by far the biggest factor in their consideration.

      “Nobody will admit to liking meetings, but most people will acknowledge that they serve a purpose,” Daniel said. “Many meetings are a waste of time, but every now and then, with the right attendees and the right tools, we come away from one saying, ‘That was a good meeting’.”

      Like them or not, employees better be prepared to get called into a meeting with little or no notice– across all meeting types, 37 percent of meetings are ad hoc and unscheduled, the report found.

      Meanwhile, 40 percent of workers report a rise in these types of meetings over the past 2 years.

      “Unfortunately, the research did not explore whether mobile meetings were more productive or if mobile devices made meetings more productive or a distraction,” Daniel noted. “However, we did learn that people are bringing more of these devices into in-person meetings and that the availability of them facilitates more remote meetings.”

      Nathan Eddy
      Nathan Eddy
      A graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, Nathan was perviously the editor of gaming industry newsletter FierceGameBiz and has written for various consumer and tech publications including Popular Mechanics, Popular Science, CRN, and The Times of London. Currently based in Berlin, he released his first documentary film, The Absent Column, in 2013.

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Artificial Intelligence

      9 Best AI 3D Generators You Need...

      Sam Rinko - June 25, 2024 0
      AI 3D Generators are powerful tools for many different industries. Discover the best AI 3D Generators, and learn which is best for your specific use case.
      Read more
      Cloud

      RingCentral Expands Its Collaboration Platform

      Zeus Kerravala - November 22, 2023 0
      RingCentral adds AI-enabled contact center and hybrid event products to its suite of collaboration services.
      Read more
      Artificial Intelligence

      8 Best AI Data Analytics Software &...

      Aminu Abdullahi - January 18, 2024 0
      Learn the top AI data analytics software to use. Compare AI data analytics solutions & features to make the best choice for your business.
      Read more
      Latest News

      Zeus Kerravala on Networking: Multicloud, 5G, and...

      James Maguire - December 16, 2022 0
      I spoke with Zeus Kerravala, industry analyst at ZK Research, about the rapid changes in enterprise networking, as tech advances and digital transformation prompt...
      Read more
      Video

      Datadog President Amit Agarwal on Trends in...

      James Maguire - November 11, 2022 0
      I spoke with Amit Agarwal, President of Datadog, about infrastructure observability, from current trends to key challenges to the future of this rapidly growing...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2024 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.