Neat Study: APAC Businesses Losing Over 4.5 Hrs Weekly per Employee to Outdated Meeting Tech

As Asia-Pacific (APAC) businesses navigate the complexities of hybrid and flexible work models, the focus has shifted from merely collaborating to doing so with impact. Success in 2025 and beyond hinges on empowering teams with tools that enhance productivity rather than hinder it. In an environment where agility and engagement define competitive advantage, APAC organisations are recognising the critical role of modern, intelligent collaboration technologies. Those investing in smart collaboration today are poised to reclaim lost time, boost productivity, and foster stronger team cohesion and client engagement.

A new IDC InfoBrief, "From Lagging to Leading: How Smart Collaboration Redefines Work in Asia/Pacific," commissioned by Neat, surveyed 1,080 executives across the region and reveals a substantial hidden cost: outdated meeting room technologies are causing APAC organisations to lose an average of 4.5 man hours per employee each week. This inefficiency translates to an estimated USD$ 8,524,000 annual loss for a 1,000-employee company and accounts for approximately 11% of total man-hours lost per employee annually.

The study found that key frustrations negatively impacting physical meeting productivity include technical issues when using videoconferencing equipment (63%), using outdated technology (55%), and difficulty in setting up or using meeting equipment (55%).

"The data is pretty stark. What many businesses might consider 'good enough' collaboration technology is, in reality, costing them significantly in both time and money," said Niko Walraven, Area Vice President for APAC at Neat. "This isn't just an IT issue; it's a fundamental business productivity issue that affects the bottom line and employee experience across the APAC region."

The evolving nature of work in APAC confirms that flexible models are here to stay, requiring  purpose-built technology to support them. One-third of APAC-based organisations have 50% of their team members located remotely. Despite a trend of employees returning to the office (over 65% spend 3-4 days in-office), the need to connect dispersed teams effectively remains critical. This need for hybrid equity is underscored by the fact that 72% of meetings now involve videoconferencing with remote colleagues, and investments in collaboration technology are increasingly prioritised over other workplace facilities.  Looking ahead, IDC predicts that by 2028, 70% of G1000 (top 1000 largest organisations globally in terms of revenue) employee content will be enhanced with visual, auditory, and/or tactile modalities that will boost effective collaboration.

While APAC-wide trends are clear, specific market insights further highlight the urgency for smart solutions. 

• In India, organisations show the strongest belief in the region that working from the office boosts productivity (64%). However, they face the second-highest productivity loss from outdated tech, with an estimated 4.8 hours lost per employee per week and a $9M annual cost for a 1,000-employee company. 

• In Singapore, 29% of organisations expect a shift to 100% in-office work in the next 18 months, increasing the pressure on meeting room efficiency. These diverse scenarios all point to the common requirement for adaptable and intelligent collaboration tools to meet specific market demands.

The era of simply "making do" with collaboration technology is over for forward-thinking APAC businesses. The InfoBrief demonstrates a clear and quantifiable link between outdated meeting tools and significant losses in productivity and finances. Businesses that prioritise user-friendly, high-performance collaboration technology will be best positioned to transform their meeting culture from a source of frustration into a catalyst for innovation and growth.