Morning Consult Survey Highlights Government Workers’ Favorable View of Zoom

The public sector has entered a new era of digital transformation. As constituents became more connected online, many government agencies had to find a way to help keep pace, sparking strategic technology adoption. 

With virtual collaboration at the heart of this transformation, video communications technology soon became an essential aspect of government work, with agency workers using it to connect with the public and colleagues. But how exactly is this technology used in day-to-day public sector operations, and which provider do government employees prefer to use? 

To dig into these questions, Zoom commissioned a Morning Consult survey of 300 U.S. federal, state, and local government employees that use audio and video communication platforms in a work setting at least once per month, and it's clear that embracing modern technology has tangible benefits. The data was unweighted, and Morning Consult used quotas to approximate the composition of the audience. The margin of error for this study is +/- 6%.

Here are a few key findings: 

Audio and video communications play an integral role in modern-day government work, informing how employees connect with both coworkers and the public. Of those surveyed, the majority (80%) use audio and video communications for connecting with colleagues, and approximately a third use it for connecting with government employees outside their organization (33%) and with citizens/the public (29%).

When in-person communication is not available, most of the people surveyed prefer to use audio and video communications for hosting a webinar (81%), meeting externally with a high-level audience (80%), and presenting live to an audience (79%), while almost half rely on video conferencing for having a confidential meeting (47%).

It’s probably no surprise that the majority of government employees surveyed feel that using audio and video communication tools when working remotely also helps strengthen the way they work:

• 59% feel more productive  
• 55% feel more connected to those they’re speaking with
• 55% feel it is easier to convey their thoughts 
• 52% feel more engaged
• 49% feel that they’re making a bigger impact than if they were not using video communications

This positive sentiment carries over into the security space as well, as the research shows that 79% of those government employees surveyed consider audio and video communications technology to be very or somewhat secure.

While video communications became more prevalent with the sudden onset of widespread remote work, the research demonstrates it’s here to stay. In fact, the majority of government workers surveyed (84%) see audio and video technology continuing to play a pivotal role in their line of work in the future, with many believing it will impact their specific job function in the future as well (77%). 

Its longevity could be chalked up to a few key aspects, but accessibility is likely one of the key reasons audio and video communications have a foothold within the public sector. The Morning Consult survey revealed 72% of respondents believe audio and video communication platforms make it easier for everyone to contribute to the conversation equally.

The Morning Consult findings revealed that 87% of respondents are favorable toward Zoom. A few reasons why that might be:

• The majority of respondents believe Zoom is easy to use (91%) and helps users to make an impact (64%). 
• Fifty-six percent of respondents prefer to use Zoom for live presenting compared with 21% for Microsoft Teams, and 39% prefer to use Zoom for a confidential meeting compared with 34% for Microsoft Teams.  
• Eighty-four percent of respondents believe Zoom allows everyone in the meeting to participate equally and 80% think it allows equal access to the platform for everyone. Comparatively, 64% and 62% of respondents think the same for Microsoft Teams, 62% and 59% for Google Meet, and 54% and 50% for Cisco Webex.

Separate from this survey, there are already numerous state and local organizations strategically using Zoom in the workplace. Here are a few existing customers deploying the platform to enable accessibility, elevate constituent outreach, and evolve operations: 

• Kansas State Department of Corrections: Dedicated to supporting a safer Kansas and improving outcomes for incarcerated people, the Kansas State Department of Corrections was able to optimize operations and drive positive outcomes across its operating mission through its use of the Zoom platform. This included:
  • Augmenting a constructive culture for incarcerated persons
  • Expanding representation and access across communities to public outreach activities
  • Enabling continuity for its justice-centered mission 

• The City of San José: While video conferencing started as a pandemic-specific necessity, the City of San José quickly saw it as an avenue for improving accessibility and community engagement. The organization has used Zoom to modernize its operations, improve resident engagement and accessibility, streamline emergency response, and more.

• Hamilton County Developmental Disabilities Services (HCDDS): HCDDS is dedicated to enabling opportunities for people with developmental disabilities to work, learn, and fully participate in their communities. The Zoom platform helped the agency achieve its mission, improve case management, and evolve service delivery permanently. 

• Oceanside Police Department: The Oceanside Police Department uses remote-controlled drone video, shared via Zoom, to enable command and control visibility for operations conducted by police, first responders, and other emergency personnel. This helps the Department extend capabilities in the areas of search and rescue and public safety.

To dive into all the findings from the Morning Consult survey, check out the entire report here. And you can learn more about Zoom communication platform for government workers here.

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Survey Methodology

“Zoom's Impact in Government” survey, conducted between November 5 and November 13, 2021, of 300 United States federal, state, and local government employees who reported using an audio and video communication platform for work at least once a month. Where comparisons were sought, those surveyed had sufficient familiarity with Zoom and competitors to make the comparisons. The data was unweighted, and Morning Consult used quotas to approximate the composition of the audience. The margin of error for this study is +/- 6%.