Marketers say the shift to remote working spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic is hurting creative collaboration but helping with efficiency, according to recent research from Econsultancy and Marketing Week.

The report was based on data from a survey conducted in March 2020 among some 2,200 marketers in the United Kingdom and the United States.

Although marketers see some downsides in operating remotely, the vast majority of them say taking these steps is necessary.

Some 85% of respondents in the US and 94% of respondents in the UK say it is "important" or "critical" that their employers adapt to the pandemic by shifting to online meetings and events.

Most marketers also say it is necessary for employers to rapidly train their workforce to be effective in working remotely: 87% of US respondents and 84% of UK respondents say it's important.

Impact on Work

Some 69% of US marketers and 84% of UK marketers say remote work is "excellent" for concentration, and 53% of US marketers and 63% of UK marketers agree with this statement: "I am more efficient when working from home than in the office."

However, marketers also see significant downsides to remote work:

• More than half of respondents (52%) say holding productive meetings is challenging.
• Around two-thirds (63% of UK respondents and 66% of US respondents) say they tend to work more hours when operating remotely.

One of the biggest issues is hampered creativity: 67% of US marketers and 71% UK marketers say creative collaboration suffers when workers don't share a space.

About the research: The report was based on data from a survey conducted in March 2020 among some 2,200 marketers in the United Kingdom and the United States.