32 statistics about collaboration in the workplace in 2024

Have you ever felt like a project at work was more akin to scaling Mount Everest solo than training with friends for a collaborative climb? Deadlines loom, information seems scattered across the team, and frustration hangs heavy in the air. Unfortunately, this scenario isn’t uncommon. Seven out of 10 workers have wasted time at work due to communication problems.

On the flip side, a team that leverages everyone’s strengths is equipped to seamlessly tackle complex challenges. Below, we explore some statistics about collaboration in the workplace that highlight the power of teamwork.

In recent years, the rise of flexible and remote work has transformed traditional office environments, with many remote teams collaborating seamlessly across geographical distances. But how has this large-scale adoption of remote work impacted businesses? Let’s have a look:

1.   71% of leaders see a positive impact on employee happiness and satisfaction due to hybrid and remote work options. (Morning Consult Survey commissioned by Zoom)

2.   36% of employees feel remote work has a negative impact on workplace collaboration. (FlexJobs)

3.   28% of workers feel they have a higher workload working remotely compared to when they were going into the office. (FlexJobs)

4.   80% of employees believe remote work collaboration is either better than or just as good as in-person. (Corel)

It’s no secret that the modern workplace relies on employee collaboration. But how do employees feel about it, and what does collaboration look like? The statistics below shed some light.

5.   75% of leaders whose teams use AI say their teams collaborate better. (Morning Consult Survey commissioned by Zoom)

6.   Office workers spend most of their time (42% on average) collaborating with others. (Gensler)

7.   30% of employees believe that communicating with colleagues and clients became more challenging in 2023. (Project.co) 

8.   Only 24% of company leaders feel that their company is very ready to develop the “right” workplace model. (Deloitte)

9.   75% of people adopted a new tool to help them better meet their business communication challenges in 2023. (Project.co)

By fostering teamwork, companies can unlock a wide variety of benefits, including enhanced creativity and problem-solving thanks to diverse perspectives and combined expertise. Below, you’ll find some proven benefits of team collaboration:

10.   Team collaboration can result in a 41% increase in customer satisfaction. (ICW)

11.   70% of employees believe better collaboration can have a positive impact on employee productivity and time savings. (Alludo)

12.   Higher levels of team engagement can result in 21% higher profitability. (Gallup)

While we know team collaboration is crucial, technology makes it much easier for us to stay connected — no matter where our peers are located. Let’s look at some statistics that show how much we rely on technology for team collaboration and communication.

13.    Employees using more than 10 apps report communication issues at a higher rate (54%) than those using fewer than five apps (34%). (Zoom)

14.    Leaders using AI report strong results: 85% complete tasks faster, 84% are more productive, and 81% deliver higher quality work. (Zoom)

15.   65% of professionals say the ability to instant message and video conference on the same platform is important. (Rocket.Chat)

16.   83% of workers say they have a good understanding of the status of their projects when they primarily use a project management tool to communicate with co-workers and clients. (Project.co)

17.   Between 2019 and 2021, the use of digital collaboration tools increased by 44%. (Gartner)

18.   32% of employees have received guidance on how to use unified communication and collaboration tools. (HubSpot)

19.   55% of people communicate with their clients using email in 2024. (Project.co)

20.   26% of employees use an online chat tool to communicate with their colleagues. (Project.co)

21.   Only 7% of professionals communicate via phone. (Project.co)

Strong teamwork is crucial for success, but several obstacles can stand in its way. These numbers show some of the most common challenges for team collaboration.

22.   82% of leaders and 72% of employees report that a lack of time between meetings makes it difficult to complete important tasks. (Zoom)

23.   About 64% of workers report losing at least three hours of productivity per week due to poor collaboration. (Alludo)

24.   41% of employees would like to see a change in their company culture or engagement. (Gallup)

25.   Only 21% of leaders report actively recruiting and promoting from diverse talent pools. (DDI)

26.   49% of in-office workers observed that staying motivated and connected with their team were the biggest challenges in the transition from remote work to an in-office work setting. (HubSpot)

27.   40% of remote workers miss spontaneous, in-person connections with their colleagues. (HubSpot)

28.   41% of enterprise workers have either left their jobs or would consider leaving due to poor workplace collaboration. (Alludo)

29.   53% of people have suffered from burnout, stress, and fatigue due to communication issues in their business. (Project.co)

30.   More than a third (36%) of people have dealt with missing or lost files at work due to communication problems. (Project.co)

31.   65% of people feel they regularly waste time in meetings. (Project.co)

32.   Companies are losing business due to poor communication skills — 66% of clients have reported switching to competitors for this reason. (Project.co)

Teamwork is essential for success in today’s workplace. Recent workplace collaboration statistics highlight the importance of fostering a collaborative environment for increased productivity, improved decision-making, and greater innovation.

But these same statistics also reveal some challenges that can hinder collaboration, such as miscommunication, lack of trust, company culture, and ineffective leadership. By addressing these issues and creating a culture that values teamwork, businesses can unlock the potential of collaboration.

Streamline communication and build trust with your team today with the help of collaboration tools like Zoom Workplace.