May 25, 2026
Most Employees Say Their Workplace Communication Tools Simply Do Not Work
Workplace communication has never been more technically sophisticated, and yet for many employees, particularly those on the front lines, it has rarely felt more broken. Teams today have access to more channels, platforms, and collaboration tools than at any previous point in the history of work. The reality, however, is that more tools does not mean better communication. It often means more switching, more friction, and more workarounds that subtly accumulate into a serious operational risk.
New research from Mitel, based on a global survey of 2,000 IT decision-makers (ITDMs) and desk and frontline employees across healthcare, retail, manufacturing, financial services, hospitality, and the public sector, reveals many organisations already sense the problem but struggle to quantify.
Over 50% of workers say they waste time moving between communication tools, with the average employee navigating seven different platforms to complete routine tasks. For frontline workers in particular, such as those in hospitals, warehouses, shops, and service environments where speed and accuracy directly affect outcomes, this fragmentation carries real consequences. More than half of frontline workers (54%) report delays in completing tasks or responding to situations as a result, 46% say it affects the quality of service they are able to deliver, and 35% say it creates safety risks for customers, patients, or staff.
“Make It Work”
The report shows that 63% of workers say they have to “make it work” with systems that were not made for their needs. Among frontline workers, that number rises to 71%. The result is a workforce that compensates for inadequate tools rather than flagging the problem, and in doing so, introduces a different category of risk entirely.
Over 70% admit to using non-approved communication channels for work purposes, and according to 90% of ITDMs, this exposes organisations to data breaches, compliance failures, and cybersecurity threats. Frontline workers are more than twice as likely as their desk-based counterparts to use unapproved tools frequently, precisely because the approved alternatives are not meeting the demands of their roles.
This is the same dynamic that has driven the rise of shadow AI, where employees turn to unauthorised AI tools to fill the holes left by official platforms. Mitel’s research suggests the problem now extends across the full spectrum of workplace technology, from basic messaging apps to AI assistants.
AI Adoption Without AI Support
While 52% of workers say they regularly use AI tools, only 33% feel comfortable using them day-to-day, and 66% say their organisation does not adequately support AI adoption. Half of workers are already turning to non-approved AI tools, outpacing their organisations’ formal programmes.
This creates a serious risk for IT leaders, and ITDMs express concern about incorrect or misleading AI outputs (76%), regulatory and compliance exposure (75%), and the security of data processed by AI tools (75%). These concerns are legitimate, but they exist alongside a workforce that is already using those tools regardless, largely because the organisation has not given them a workable alternative.
“AI is not yet delivering consistent value for the workforce, and managing its pace and risks remains a shared challenge for both IT leaders and workers. Clear guidance, integration, and alignment with existing workflows are needed to reduce complexity and risk rather than add to them,” said Luiz Domingos, CTO of Mitel.
When workers face urgent or high-stakes situations, the majority (79%) still turn to voice as their most trusted channel. Among healthcare professionals, that figure rises to 56% who describe themselves as taking a voice-first approach during critical moments. The enduring preference for voice in pressure situations suggests that no amount of messaging platform investment will fully replace real-time conversation in contexts where immediate human alignment is essential.
The Investment Misalignment
The underlying tension is about the distance between what organisations invest in and what employees actually experience. Ninety-three percent of ITDMs consider communication tools strategically critical to daily operations, yet only 34% of workers describe those tools as highly effective. This is not a technology failure so much as a deployment and design failure.
The problem is particularly acute for frontline and mobile workers, who have historically been underserved by enterprise communication strategies designed with desk-based employees in mind. The expansion of platforms reflects a growing recognition across the industry that empowering workers outside the traditional contact centre requires purpose-built tooling, not a stripped-down version of what agents already have.
Eighty-seven percent of ITDMs are already operating on hybrid communication infrastructure, and 93% say this model provides the flexibility and oversight they need. The challenge is translating that infrastructure investment into a consistent employee experience, particularly for the workers most likely to default to workarounds when the official tools fall short.
Eric Hanson, CMO at Mitel, said: “Control and employee experience are not competing priorities, but deeply interconnected ones. Closing the experience disconnect is now essential to reclaiming control and ensuring that communication investments translate into real-world performance and impact.”
