Adobe productivity survey June 2020 Japan

Productivity / Work from
Home Survey - Japan
Data collected June 2020 | Lydia Chou | Adobe PR

©2020 Adobe. All Rights Reserved. Adobe Confidential.
Headlines
2
Few workers @home report increased
productivity, many struggle with set-up
---
Fewer than half of Japanese workers are
currently working from home. Those that are
report less productivity, with the largest
challenge being technological set-up,
followed by distractions at home.
Companies are more likely than not to be
understanding of a decline in productivity.
Workers at home say they are less accessible
to their co-workers (more protective of
personal time).
Younger generations are more
likely to find video conferencing
more productive
---
Video fatigue is common,
particularly among home workers
and those in managerial roles. Email
and the phone have become the go-
to communication channels, with
video conferencing and in person
meetings less common.
Microsoft 365 is the most
popular method to share
files (Adobe Acrobat)
---
55% have issues with version
control.
Nearly all workers who share a
document by email do so with an
attachment.
Digital signatures are only slightly
more common than physical
signatures.
Only one in three workers
checks their work email
before work – but they check
their work messaging app.
---
Although most people check
personal channels (email or
social media) before work, they
will wait to check work emails.
However, most workers report
that they have checked emails
(work and personal) or social
media while watching TV, or
while in bed. Far less common is
while dining with others.

Methodology
Who participated
in this research?
How was this
research
conducted?
Sample Frame
• 1000 Japanese workers completed the survey online;
• To qualify:
‒ Currently working
‒ Normal work setting is an office environment
• Participants were recruited from an actively managed online panel -- this should be considered a non-
probability sample;
• Participants were incented using rewards points offered by their online panel;
• Research was conducted between June 2 and June 4, 2020.
• Quotas were set for gender and age was monitored.
• No weighting of data was required.
• Margin of error is +/- 3.1 percentage points at the 95% CL
• Additional results can be found at https://portal.advanis.net/adbe/
Advanis is a member of the Canadian Research Insights Council (CRIC) and confirms that this research fully complies with all CRIC
Standards including the CRIC Public Opinion Research Standards and Disclosure Requirements. This research was sponsored by Adobe
and conducted by Advanis. For information about data collection, please contact Lori Reiser (lori_reiser@advanis.net 519.340.0125)
Icon Source: icons8.com

Demographic Profile
2%
40%
36%
22%
0%
Age
36% 64%
Gender
Gen Z 1996 or later
Millennials 1977—1995
Generation X 1965—1976
Baby Boomers 1946—1964
Traditionalists 1945 or earlier
Urban
39%
Suburban
52%
Rural
9%
Neighborhood
Suburban includes ex-urban—
a mainly residential commuter town (7%).
JP (June 2020)
S2 - What year were you born? (1000)
S1 - What is your gender? Base: Excl. prefer not to answer (1000)
D1 - How would you describe your neighborhood? (1000)
D3 - What is the highest level of education you have completed?
Base: Excl. prefer not to answer (990)
D2 - Do you have children living in your home? If so, what ages?
Base: Excl. prefer not to answer (961)
D6 – What was your total household income before taxes during the past 12 months?
Base: Excl. prefer not to say (880)
No children in the home 69%
Less than 5 years old 8%
5-12 years old 16%
13-17 years old 17%
3%
3%
11%
38%
40%
4%
1%
Under ¥500,000
¥500,000 to ¥1,999,999
¥2,000,000 to ¥3,999,999
¥4,000,000 to ¥7,999,999
¥8,000,000 to ¥19,999,999
¥20,000,000 to ¥49,999,999
¥50,000,000 or more
Children in the home Income JP¥Education
High school or less 12%
Some college or complete
vocational/technical school
7%
College graduate 69%
Post-graduate 12%
Some college includes vocational/
technical school (5%).

Work Status
8%
17%
6%
1%
21%
48%
Professional Manager
Manager
Executive
Business man/woman
Skilled office worker
Other office worker
(clerical, sales, etc.)
Job Role
31% Managerial role
69% Non-managerial role
Full time
97%
Employment Status
38%
11%
2%
50%
I am now working from
home
My hours have been
reduced
Other
No change in
employment
Job Role
JP (June 2020)
S4 - Which of the following best describes your job or role? (1000)
D5a - Which of these best described your work status before the impact of COVID-19 in the
Japan? Base: Excl. prefer not to answer (999)
D5b - Has your employment been impacted by COVID-19? (1000)

Work Setting
JP (June 2020)
A1a –What is our usual work environment (prior to the start of the Covid-19 outbreak)? Base: Office(846), Home (77), Other Settings (75)
A1b – And what is your current work setting? Base: All respondents (1000)
49%
14%
75%
30%
21%
21%
21%
64%
4%
Office
Home
Other Setting
At my regular worksite A mix of my regular worksite and work from home Work from home Not currently working Other
Current Work EnvironmentUsual Work
Environment
• Half of office workers are still working from the office and only about one-fifth are working from
home full time. Most of those who normally work from home are continuing to do so.
↑↓ = Significant higher/lower than all other age groups combined at 95% confidence level.
↓↑
↓ ↑
↑
↓

Productivity @Home
• Few workers report that they are more productive at home. Those who are less productive are
most likely to say they are not properly set-up to work from home, or that there are too many
distractions.
• Two-thirds of employers are understanding of those who admit to being less productive,
particularly among female employees.
JP (June 2020)
LC1 – How productive are you now that you are working from home? Base: Currently working from home (512)
LC2yes – Why are you more productive? Base: More productive at home (108)
LC2no – Why are you less productive? Base: Less productive at home (221)
LC2understanding – Do you feel your company has been understanding about your decreased productivity? Base: Less productive at home (221)
More
21%
Less
43%
The
same
36%
85%
61%
44%
1%
No commute time
Flexible working schedule
Less distractions
Other
Productivity from Home More Productive
68%
46%
33%
4%
Not properly set up
Too many distractions
Need help from co-
workers that's harder to
get
Other
Company Understanding of
Decreased Productivity
Yes
62%
Less Productive
Millennials: 29% Females: 74%

• Many companies do not have the right technology in place to work from home.
• Workers currently at home feel like they are less accessible now. Slightly less than half of workers
have gotten to know their co-workers better as a results of the pandemic, owing to social activities
online.
Productivity @Home
JP (June 2020)
LC3 – Do you feel that your company has the right technology in place for you to be productive while working outside of the office? Base: All respondents (1000)
LC4 – How has working from home changed how accessible you are to your co-workers? Base: Working from home (512)
LC5 – Have you gotten to know your co-workers better in the past few months? Base: Working from home (512)
Yes
41%
Right Technology
55%
38%
7%
I'm less accessible and
more protective of my
personal time
I'm just as accessible as I
was before
I'm more accessible than I
was before
Accessibility to your
Co-workers
25%
17%
5%
2%
52%
Yes, we have had more online social
activities
Yes, we have taken the time to
check in more than when we were in
the office
Yes, we're communicating 'live'
more
Yes, we all understand when kids,
pets and family members enter a
video feed
No
NET YES 48%
Have you gotten to know
your co-workers better?

Productivity @Home
JP (June 2020)
A1c – What are your favorite places to work remotely (when there are no restrictions)? Base: All respondents (1000)
LC6 – If your company will allow you to work from home long term, will you relocate? Base: All respondents (1000)
LC7 – What do you miss most about being at work? Base: Temporarily working from home (447)
4%
4%
4%
81%
7%
Yes, I will move to a new area of my
city
Yes, I will move to a new city
Yes, I will move to a new state
No, I will not move
I will not be able to work from home
long term
12%
88%
Willing to Relocate
30%
16%
12%
11%
6%
4%
2%
3%
16%
Collaborating with teams in person
Ability to just 'drop in' and chat with
someone
Direct access to my supervisor
The distinct end to the workday
Quiet place to work / distraction free
Eating out / food at the office
The energy of lots of people in one place
Other
Nothing, I prefer to work remotely
Missing Most at Work
78%
20%
10%
8%
5%
0%
16%
Home
Co-work office
Coffee shop
Library
Outdoors
Other
I never work remotely
Favourite Remote Workspaces
• When not working in the office, most employees would rather work from their home than
elsewhere. Most workers would not move even if their employer allows them to continue to work
from home. Workers cite missing the ability for informal meetings with others in the office.

38%
40%
41%
46%
37%
35%
Video Conferencing
JP (June 2020)
QL15 – Do you find video conferencing more productive than in-person meetings? Base: All respondents (1000)
QL16 – Are you experiencing video conferencing fatigue? Base: All respondents (1000)
Yes
40%
Yes
39%
Video Conferencing is More
Productive
Experiencing Video
Conferencing Fatigue
Worked from home prior to COVID-19: 53%
Millennials: 46%
Female: 46%
Currently working from home: 47%
Managerial role: 46%
Has children at home: 45%
• Although video conferencing is more popular among younger generations, only two-fifths of
workers feel is it more productive than in-person meetings.
• Additionally, a similar number of workers are starting to experience video conferencing fatigue.
Small base
Small base
Small base
Small base
Millennial
Gen X
Boomers
Millennial
Gen X
Boomers

JP (June 2020)
QL18 – How do you share and review files with colleagues now that you are working remote? Base: All respondents (1000)
QL19 – Do you find version control to be an issue when reviewing documents? Base: All respondents (1000)
Sharing Documents
31%
24%
14%
6%
4%
20%
15%
14%
10%
4%
4%
3%
6%
5%
7%
4%
3%
Ranked 1 Ranked 2 Ranked 3
Methods of
Sharing/Reviewing Files
Yes
55%
Issues with Version Control
NET Top 3
51%
43%
31%
15%
11%
24%Other
Post-graduate: 65%
Managerial role: 64%
Has children at home: 61%
• Microsoft Office 365 is the most used method to share and review files followed by Adobe Acrobat
and Google Drive. Over half of workers (and two-thirds of those who normally work from home)
have issues with version control.

Attachments & Signatures
40%
30% 30%
Digital 50/50 Physical
How Documents are Signed
Links, 13%
Attachments,
88%
26%
30%
Do you find file attachments
less productive? (YES)
Do you find links less
productive? (YES)
Method of Sending/Receiving Documents
via Email
• Nine in ten workers send files as attachments, which nearly all find as being more productive.
• Only slightly more documents are being digitally signed than physically signed.
JP (June 2020)
QL17 – How do you usually send and receive documents/files via email? Base: (1000)
QL17attachment – Do you find sending an attachment to be less productive than sending a link to a file? Base: Attaches documents (875)
QL17link - Do you find sending a link to be less productive than sending a file attachment? Base: Sends links (125)
QL20 – Do you sign documents digitally (electronic signature) or physically (wet signature) the most? Base: Excl. does not apply (557)

Checking Email & Other
Communication Channels

↑↓ = Significant differences observed at 95% confidence level.
Time spent checking email
16
Minutes Spent Each Weekday
Checking Email
79 78 78
58
53
47
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
2018 2019 2020
Work Email Personal Email
85% open
63% useful
64% open
35% useful
Work Emails Personal Emails
JP (June 2020)
q6a/b .. Please estimate the number of minutes you spend each weekday checking your email Base: Excluding those who spend more than a day checking email (997)
Q3_a/b (% of emails you open) and Q4_a/b (% of emails you find useful) Base: All respondents (1,000)
• Although time spent checking work email has stayed consistent, time spent checking personal
email continues to decrease. Work emails are much more likely to be useful than personal emails.

Frequency of Checking Emails
17
Work emails are checked for an hour or less
but frequently outside of work .
People spend less time checking
personal email and slightly more are
checking with increasing than
decreasing frequency..
• Managerial roles check most often.
• Millennials are the most likely to be checking
their personal email with increased frequency.
↑↓ = Significant differences observed vs. 2018 at 95% confidence level.
34%
33%
12%
12%
10%
29%
33%
14%
14%
10%
19%
56%
13%
6%
7%
16%
57%
12%
9%
6%
2020
2019
Never
Every few
hours
Every hour
Multiple times
per hour
Constantly
JP Results (August 2019); Base: All respondents (1,000), (June 2020); Base: All respondents (1,000)
q2 – While at work, how often do you typically check your personal email in a given day?
q1 – Outside of normal work hours, how often do you check your work email in a given day?
q2a – In 2020, has the frequency of checking your personal email...
Checking Emails Often?
Just over 1 hour (78 minutes)
checking work email each day
Just under 1 hour (47 minutes)
checking personal email each day
Frequency of checking personal
email while at work
Frequency of checking work email
outside of normal work hours
16%
82%
3%
Increased
Not changed
Decreased
Personal email checking
frequency in 2020

JP Results (June 2020)
Base: All respondents (1,000)
*Work messaging app new in 2020 - also remove “while commuting” from all levels
q7a – It's a workday, and you've just woken up. After you wake up, how long does it typically take you to check your work email?
q7b – It's a workday, and you've just woken up. After you wake up, how long does it typically take you to check your personal email?
q7c – It's a workday, and you've just woken up. After you wake up, how long does it typically take you to look at a social media app?
q7d - After you wake up, how long does it typically take you to look at a work messaging app (like Slack, Teams chat)? Base: Excludes do not use work messaging app (601)
9%
32% 28%
14%
28%
41%
32%
34%
63%
7%
10%
44%
20%
30%
8%
When Media Is First Checked
18
It's a workday, and you've just woken up. After you wake up, how long does it typically take you to check your….
Work Email Personal Email Social Media
While getting
ready/eating breakfast
Still in bed
When I get to work
On a break at work*
Millennials are
driving the change
to check work
email while still in
bed.
Work Messaging App*
• Most workers wait until they start their workday to check work email, and half wait that long to
check work messaging apps. Personal email and social media are checked before work for most.

Communications Methods @Work
19
Email
Phone
Face-to-face conversations/in-person
meetings
Video conferencing or video chat
Instant messaging (e.g., Facebook Messenger,
Jabber, Gchat, Skype)
Text messaging
Social media
File sharing service (e.g. Dropbox, Box, Adobe
Document Cloud)
Enterprise social network (e.g., Yammer or
Slack)
Other
Millennials (A) Gen X (B) Boomers (C)
61%
46%
37%
33%
28%
24%
21%
12%
10%
1%
66%
51%
37%
36%
21%
20%
14%
8%
9%
0%
71%
56%
37%
38%
16%
21%
14%
5%
3%
1%JP Results (June 2020)
Base: Millennials (403), Gen X (355), Baby Boomers (223)
q11a – Today, which of the following communication methods do you use regularly to interact with colleagues at work? ↑↓ = Significant higher/lower than all other age groups combined at 95% confidence level.
↓
Today, which of the following communication methods do you use regularly
to interact with colleagues at work?
↑
↑
↑
↑
↓
↑
↓
↑
↓
• Although email and phone still dominate work communication, millennials are more likely than
older generations to embrace instant messaging, social media, file sharing, and enterprise social
networks.

Video conferencing or video chat
Instant messaging (e.g., Facebook
Messenger, Jabber, Gchat, Skype)
Email
Phone
Social media
Text messaging
Enterprise social network (e.g.,
Yammer or Slack)
File sharing service (e.g. Dropbox,
Box, Adobe Document Cloud)
Face-to-face conversations/in-
person meetings
Other
Results are
consistent
across
generations
Tools used when remote working
Has remote work changed
the way you communicate
with your work colleagues?
It hasn't,
57%
Somewhat,
35%
It has
completely
changed,
9%
62%
33%
27%
18%
18%
13%
10%
14%
7%
0%
64%
26%
22%
13%
10%
12%
12%
7%
4%
0%
68%
20%
23%
16%
10%
7%
4%
4%
5%
2%
Which communication tools
are you using more?
↑
↓
↓
↑
↓
↑
Millennials (A) Gen X (B) Boomers (C)
↑↓ = Significant higher/lower than all other age groups combined at 95% confidence level.
JP Results (June 2020)
q12a - Has remote work changed the way you communicate with your work colleagues? Base: All respondents (1000)
q12aa - Which communication tools are you using more? Base: Work has changed (Millennials 168, Gen X 163, Baby Boomers 97)
• Less than half of workers have found that work has changed how they communicate. Those who
have mention video chatting, instant messaging, and email being used more.

Checking in @ work during life situations
21
During which of these situations have you checked your email or social media?BC
BC
AC
C
B
B
C
Email Usage JP Results (June 2020)
Base: Millennials (403), Gen X (355), Baby Boomers (223)
q10a – In the last month, during which situations have you checked your work email? (Multi-response)
q10b – In the last month, during which situations have you checked your personal email? (Multi-response)
q10c – In the last month, during which situations have you checked your social media app? (Multi-response) ↑↓ = Significant higher/lower than all other age groups combined at 95% confidence level.
• Most workers report checking their work and personal email and social media while watching tv
and in bed. Slightly fewer also report checking them during meals and while walking.
• Millennials are most likely to check their work and personal emails and social media while doing
other activities.
Millennials Gen X Boomers Millennials Gen X Boomers Millennials Gen X Boomers
While watching TV/movie 54% ↑ 45% 44% 56% ↑ 43% 33% ↓ 55% ↑ 44% 33% ↓
While in bed 59% ↑ 44% 28% ↓ 62% ↑ 40% ↓ 29% ↓ 61% ↑ 40% ↓ 28% ↓
During a meal with others 22% 17% 21% 26% ↑ 13% ↓ 18% 25% ↑ 13% ↓ 18%
While walking 25% ↑ 20% 13% ↓ 26% ↑ 18% 9% ↓ 24% ↑ 17% 8% ↓
While in a work meeting 9% 6% 9% 6% 5% 6% 6% 5% 7%
While in the bathroom 7% ↑ 2% ↓ 1% ↓ 11% ↑ 3% ↓ 2% ↓ 12% ↑ 3% ↓ 3% ↓
While in a video conversation 9% ↑ 3% ↓ 2% ↓ 9% ↑ 3% ↓ 1% ↓ 8% ↑ 3% ↓ 2% ↓
While working out 6% ↑ 4% 2% ↓ 7% ↑ 3% 2% ↓ 9% ↑ 2% ↓ 3% ↓
While on the phone 4% 3% 4% 4% 3% 1% ↓ 5% 3% 1% ↓
While driving 3% 4% 1% ↓ 3% 4% 1% ↓ 4% 3% 1% ↓
None of these 11% ↓ 21% ↑ 26% ↑ 9% ↓ 26% ↑ 37% ↑ 9% ↓ 27% ↑ 37% ↑
Work Email Personal Email Social Media

Appropriate Tools for Work Situations
Email Usage JP Results (June 2020)
Base: All Respondents (1,000)
q14a - Prior to work changes due to COVID-19, which of the following would you have considered the most appropriate communication method for...
q14b - And today, which of the following would you have considered the most appropriate communication method for...
• Although email and video conferencing have both become more appropriate during COVID-19,
face-to-face meetings are still often the preferred communication method for some discussions.
Before and since COVID-19, what is
the most appropriate communication
method for...
Before Now Before Now Before Now Before Now Before Now Before Now Before Now Before Now
Face-to-face conversations/in-
person meetings
23% 13% 38% 28% 32% 26% 41% 36% 35% 26% 27% 19% 25% 17% 51% 47%
Email 33% 40% 22% 26% 26% 27% 21% 23% 26% 29% 30% 36% 37% 41% 21% 22%
Video conferencing or video chat 8% 7% 13% 18% 16% 23% 9% 14% 15% 21% 15% 19% 11% 15% 6% 8%
Phone 12% 12% 14% 14% 11% 9% 18% 16% 8% 7% 9% 7% 8% 6% 11% 14%
Instant messaging (e.g., Facebook
Messenger, Jabber, Gchat, Skype)
9% 11% 3% 4% 4% 4% 4% 4% 5% 5% 6% 6% 5% 7% 3% 3%
Text messaging 9% 10% 4% 4% 3% 4% 4% 3% 3% 5% 5% 5% 5% 6% 3% 2%
Social media 3% 3% 2% 2% 3% 2% 2% 2% 3% 2% 3% 3% 3% 2% 2% 1%
Enterprise social network (e.g.,
Yammer or Slack)
2% 3% 2% 3% 2% 3% 1% 1% 2% 3% 3% 3% 3% 3% 2% 1%
File sharing service (e.g., Dropbox,
Box, Adobe Document Cloud)
2% 1% 2% 2% 3% 2% 1% 2% 3% 3% 3% 2% 3% 3% 2% 1%
Other 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 1% 1%
Delivering
feedback Quitting your jobA brief question
Addressing an
issue
Asking for help
on a big project
Alerting your
boss of an
important issue
Suggesting a
new approach or
idea
A status update
on a project

Handling well
20%
Mostly well, a few are
tone deaf 54%
Many are
inappropriate
26%
Brand Marketing Emails
JP (June 2020)
Q15d – From your perspective, are brands striking the right tone when it comes to emails related to the COVID-19 pandemic? Base: (1000)
Q15b – In today's environment, what type of consumer brand content in your personal email are you most likely to read/engage with?? Base: All respondents (1000)
Q15c – In today's environment, what type of B2B brand content in your work email are you most likely to read/engage with? Base: (1000)
Consumer Brand Content
Engagement
B2b Brand Content
Engagement
Brand’s Tone in Emails
67%
38%
23%
14%
0%
Offers/discounts
Information on product or service
changes (i.e. shipping delays, store
closures, shorten hours, etc.)
Tips and tricks (i.e. fitness tips, indoor
activities or recipes etc.)
Information on what they are doing to
protect their employees and customers
Other
48%
35%
31%
26%
1%
Information on product or service
changes (i.e. shipping delays, store
closures, shorten hours, etc)
Tips and tricks to help you navigate
this challenging time
Information on what they are doing
to protect their employees and
customers
Offers/discounts
Other
• Most brands are perceived to be doing an “OK” job of striking the right tone in marketing emails.
• Offers/discounts and information on product changes are the most engaging for emails directed to
individuals right now, but business emails about information on product changes are well received
in a business context.

Adobe productivity survey June 2020 Japan

Adobe productivity survey June 2020 Japan

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