Video Chat Revolution? Not So Fast. Email Still Rules The Future of Mobile Work for SMBs

There’s no denying that video conferencing is having its heyday. Zoom stock continues to surge, growing more than 370% year-to-date. And several other platforms have become the vital lifelines for employees to stay connected and engaged, and for employers to maintain business continuity among a remote and hybridized workforce.

But video has yet to kill email.

TriNet’s October 2020 SMB Pulse Survey* found that seven in 10 very small business (VSBs) and four in five small business (SBs) and mid-sized businesses (MBs) still use email as their preferred and primary form of communication. And as many of us have likely experienced due to a faulty internet connection, video conferencing lags. In times of uncertainty, it makes sense that people are falling back on tried and true technologies to communicate vital information.

The future of work, however, isn’t binary. Remote and mobile will rely heavily on the flexible, fluid and individualized technologies, platforms and modes of communication. The ability to work flexibly has been the top motivating factor for U.S. employees during the pandemic, according to HP’s latest Workforce Evolution Study. Moreover, 30% say that knowing that a company provides access to the latest technology, software and communication platforms they need to do their jobs is now a top motivator for deciding where to work.

In this landscape, SMBs have a unique opportunity. For one, small and medium-sized business owners are often closer to the everyday needs of their employees, from a cultural and technological standpoint. They have a pulse on how employees prefer to communicate and engage with one another, and, while they might not enjoy bulk rates on turnkey technology solutions, they can tailor their tech to meet individual employees’ needs.

The lesson for SMBs: Do what you do best. Stay close to employees and continue to empower them with the tools they are asking for, not burdening them with ones they’re not.

* SMB Pulse, conducted with third-party research firm Bredin, surveyed 500 principals of U.S. companies between September 26 – October 13 with 1 to 500 employees, including: 250 Very Small Businesses (VSBs) with one to 19 employees (97.7% weighting); 150 Small Businesses (SBs) with 20 to 99 employees (2.0% weighting); 100 Mid-sized Businesses (MBs) with 100 to 500 employees (0.3% weighting). The data cited in the research represents the opinions of the survey respondents and not those of TriNet or its employees.