New research from Adobe, which surveyed more than 1,000 workers in the U.S., has found that working from home due to COVID-19 has, in fact, impacted work habits and productivity — but positively.

1. Productivity Survey

2. ©2020 Adobe. All Rights Reserved. Adobe Confidential.
Headlines
2
Productivity has remained similar even
as more workers are working from
home
---
Employers understand that some workers
may be less productive. However, they have
provided the right technology to ensure
workers have the necessary access they
need to keep working.
Younger generations are more
likely to find video
conferencing more productive
---
Younger generations are also more
likely to be experiencing video
conferencing fatigue.
Unsurprisingly, face-to-face
meetings are considered less
appropriate and email, video
conferencing, and the phone have
become the go-to communication
channels.
Microsoft 365 is the most
popular method to share
files (followed by Google
Drive and Adobe Acrobat)
---
One-quarter have issues with
version control. Nearly all
workers who share a document
by email do so with an
attachment.
Half of workers are checking
work email and messaging
apps before work
---
Work emails are also often
checked during meetings, while
on the phone, and while
watchingTV. Personal emails
and social media are often
checked while watchingTV, in
bed, and in the bathroom.
Millennials are most likely to
check their work and personal
emails and social media while
doing other activities.

3. ©2020 Adobe. All Rights Reserved. Adobe Confidential.
Methodology
Who participated
in this research?
How was this
research
conducted?
Sample Frame
• 1004 US 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-
non-probability sample;
• Participants were incented using rewards points offered by their online panel;
• Research was conducted between May 27 and June 3, 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

4. Participant Profile

5. ©2020 Adobe. All Rights Reserved. Adobe Confidential.
Demographic Profile
8%
46%
24%
21%
1%
Age
49% 51
%
Gender
Gen Z 1996 or later
Millennials 1977—1995
Generation
X
1965—1976
Baby
Boomers
1946—1964
Traditionalis
ts
1945 or
earlier
Urban
29%
Suburban
60%
Rural
11%
Neighborhood
Suburban includes ex-urban—
a mainly residential commuter town (2%).
US (May/June 2020)
S2 - What year were you born? (1004)
S1 - What is your gender? Base: Excl. prefer not to answer (1003)
D1 - How would you describe your neighborhood? (1004)
D3 - What is the highest level of education you have completed?
Base: Excl. prefer not to answer (1002)
D2 - Do you have children living in your home? If so, what ages?
Base: Excl. prefer not to answer (992)
D6 – What was your total household income before taxes during the past 12 months?
Base: Excl. prefer not to say (974)
No children in the
home
66%
Less than 5 years old 11%
5-12 years old 18%
13-17 years old 15%
1%
3%
12%
20%
24%
35%
5%
Under 10K
10-29,9K
30-49,9K
50-69,9K
70-99,9K
100-…
250K+
Children in the home Income USDEducation
High school or less 9%
Some college or complete
vocational/technical school
19%
College graduate 51%
Post-graduate 21%
Some college includes vocational/
technical school (7%).

6. ©2020 Adobe. All Rights Reserved. Adobe Confidential.
Work Status
9%
31%
7%
8%
27%
18%
Professional
Manager
Manager
Executive
Business
man/woman
Skilled office worker
Other office worker
(clerical, sales, etc.)
Job Role
55% Managerial role
45% Non-managerial role
Full time
91%
Employment Status
55%
15%
2%
29%
I am now working
from home
My hours have been
reduced
Other
No change in
employment
Job Role
US (May/June 2020)
S4 - Which of the following best describes your job or role? (1004)
D5a - Which of these best described your work status before the impact of
COVID-19 on the United States? Base: Excl. prefer not to answer (1002)
D5b - Has your employment been impacted by COVID-19? (1004)

7. Impacts of COVID-19 on
Work

8. ©2020 Adobe. All Rights Reserved. Adobe Confidential.
Work Setting
US (May/June 2020)
A1a –What is our usual work environment (prior to the start of the Covid-19 outbreak)? Base: Office(785), Home (137), Other Settings (79)
A1b – And what is your current work setting? Base: All respondents (1004)
28%
11%
59%
12%
14%
8%
59%
75%
25% 6%
Office
Home
Other
Setting
At my regular worksite A mix of my regular worksite and work from home
Work from home Not currently working
Current Work
Environment
Usual Work
Environment
• Only about one-quarter of workers who normally work in an office continue to do so during
COVID-19. In comparison, nearly all who usually work from home continue to do so.
↑
↑↓ = Significant higher/lower than all other age groups combined at 95% confidence level.
↓ ↑
↓ ↑

9. ©2020 Adobe. All Rights Reserved. Adobe Confidential.
Productivity @Home
• Overall worker productivity has not changed much – most report similar or even better
productivity. They have embraced flexible working hours and no commute as well as
having fewer distractions.
• Nearly all employers are understanding of those who are less productive.
US (May/June 2020)
LC1 – How productive are you now that you are working from home? Base: (708)
LC2yes – Why are you more productive? Base: (223)
LC2no – Why are you less productive? Base: (165)
LC2understanding – Do you feel your company has been understanding about your decreased productivity? Base: (165)
More
32%
Less
23%
The
same
45%
67%
65%
62%
1%
Flexible working
schedule
No commute time
Less distractions
Other
Productivity from Home More Productive
67%
47%
32%
7%
Too many distractions
Not properly set up
Need help from co-
workers that's harder to
get
Other
Company Understanding
of Decreased Productivity
Yes
92%
Less Productive
Children at home: 27%
Worked from home prior to COVID-19: 16%

10. ©2020 Adobe. All Rights Reserved. Adobe Confidential.
Productivity @Home
US (May/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
(1004)
LC4 – How has working from home changed how accessible you are to your co-workers? Base: (708)
LC5 – Have you gotten to know your co-workers better in the past few months? Base: (708)
Yes
82%
Right Technology
22%
63%
14%
I'm more accessible
than I was before
I'm just as accessible
as I was before
I'm less accessible and
more protective of my
personal time
Accessibility to Co-
workers
16%
12%
7%
7%
58%
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 42%
(51% managerial,
31% non)
Have you gotten to know
your co-workers better?
• Most companies have the right technology in place and nearly all have ensured workers
have at least as much access to their co-workers as before the pandemic.
• Slightly less than half of workers have gotten to know their co-workers better as a results
of the pandemic.

11. ©2020 Adobe. All Rights Reserved. Adobe Confidential.
Productivity @Home
US (May/June 2020)
A1c – What are your favorite places to work remotely (when there are no restrictions)? Base: All respondents (1004)
LC6 – If your company will allow you to work from home long term, will you relocate? Base: All respondents (1004)
LC7 – What do you miss most about being at work? Base: Currently working from home (585)
10%
6%
7%
65%
12%
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
23%
77%
Willing to Relocate
25%
23%
11%
7%
7%
6%
5%
2%
14%
Collaborating with teams in person
Ability to just 'drop in' and chat with
someone
The energy of lots of people in one
place
The distinct end to the workday
Quiet place to work / distraction free
Eating out / food at the office
Direct access to my supervisor
Other
Nothing, I prefer to work remotely
Missing Most at Work
70%
17%
13%
13%
6%
1%
17%
Home
Outdoors
Co-work office
Coffee shop
Library
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.

12. ©2020 Adobe. All Rights Reserved. Adobe Confidential.
40%
40%
31%
22%
14%
44%
38%
29%
21%
14%
Video Conferencing
US (May/June 2020)
QL15 – Do you find video conferencing more productive than in-person meetings? Base: All respondents (1004)
QL16 – Are you experiencing video conferencing fatigue? Base: All respondents (1004)
Yes
33%
No
67%
Yes
34%No
66%
Video Conferencing is
More Productive
Experiencing Video
Conferencing Fatigue
Worked from home prior to COVID-19: 50%
Post-graduate: 47%
Has children at home: 45%
Managerial role: 39%
$100,000+ income: 38%
Currently working from home: 37%
Post-graduate: 48%
Worked from home prior to COVID-19: 42%
Has children at home: 40%
Managerial role: 39%
Currently working from home: 38%
Male: 38%
• Although video conferencing is more popular among younger generations, only one-third
of workers feel is it more productive than in-person meetings.
• Additionally, a similar number of workers are starting to experience video conferencing
fatigue.

13. ©2020 Adobe. All Rights Reserved. Adobe Confidential.
US (May/June 2020)
QL18 – How do you share and review files with colleagues now that you are working remote? Base: All respondents (1004)
QL19 – Do you find version control to be an issue when reviewing documents? Base: All respondents (1004)
Sharing Documents
37%
20%
21%
6%
5%
10%
20%
14%
13%
7%
8%
6%
8%
8%
11%
6%
Ranked 1 Ranked 2 Ranked 3
Methods of
Sharing/Reviewing Files
Yes
23%
No
77%
Issues with Version
Control
NET Top
3
63%
41%
41%
24%
19%
14%
Other
Gen Z: 37%
Worked from home prior to COVID-19: 33%
Google Drive ranked first: 30%
Managerial role: 28%
Has children at home: 31%
Post-graduate: 31%
$100,000+ income: 27%
Male: 26%
• Microsoft Office 365 is the most used method to share and review files followed by both
Google Drive and Adobe Acrobat. Few have issues with version control.

14. ©2020 Adobe. All Rights Reserved. Adobe Confidential.
Attachments & Signatures
50%
26% 23%
Digital 50/50 Physical
How Documents are
Signed
Links
12%
Attachments
88%
32
%
15
%
Do you find file
attachments less
productive? (YES)
Do you find links less
productive? (YES)
Method of Sending/Receiving
Documents via Email
Worked from home prior to COVID-19: 64%
Millennials: 56%
Currently working from home:58%
$100,000+ income: 56%
Graduated college: 54%
Managerial role: 53%US (May/June 2020)
QL17 – How do you usually send and receive documents/files via email? Base: (1004)
QL17attachment – Do you find sending an attachment to be less productive than sending a link to a file? Base: Attaches documents (887)
QL17link - Do you find sending a link to be less productive than sending a file attachment? Base: sends links (117)
QL20 – Do you sign documents digitally (electronic signature) or physically (wet signature) the most? Base: Excl. does not apply (761)
• Nine in ten workers send files as attachments, which nearly all find as being more
productive.
• At least half of documents are being digitally signed, particularly among younger workers.

15. Checking Email & Other
Communication Channels

16. ©2020 Adobe. All Rights Reserved. Adobe Confidential.
↑↓ = Significant differences observed at 95% confidence level.
Time spent checking email
16
Chart Title
Minutes Spent Each Weekday
Checking Email
256
210↓
198
209
202
209
142↓
162↑
143 ↓
113 ↓100
150
200
250
300
1 2 3 4 5
Work Email Personal Email
84% open
63% useful
56% open
37% useful
Work Emails Personal Emails
US (May/June 2020)
Base: All respondents (1,004)
q6a/b .. Please estimate the number of minutes you spend each weekday checking your email
Q3_a/b (% of emails you open) and Q4_a/b (% of emails you find useful)
• Time spent checking personal email continues to decrease and open rate and usefulness
of personal emails continues to lag those of work emails.

17. ©2020 Adobe. All Rights Reserved. Adobe Confidential.
Frequency of Checking Emails
17
Work emails are checked for 3+ hours and
frequently outside of work .
People spend less time checking
personal email but frequency of
checking at work is high.
• Males check most often.
• Over half of traditionalists never check their
personal email at work.
↑↓ = Significant differences observed vs. 2018 at 95% confidence level.
↑30%
39%
9%
12%
10%
24%
43%
10%
13%
10%
10%
51%
13%
15%
11%
8%
52%
15%
14%
11%
2020
2019
Never
Every few
hours
Every hour
Multiple times
per hour
Constantly
US Results (July 2019); Base: All respondents (1,002), (May/June 2020); Base: All respondents (1,004)
q1 – While at work, how often do you typically check your personal email in a given day?
q2 – 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?
Over 3 hours (202 minutes)
checking work email each day
Over 2 hours (113 minutes)
checking personal email each
day
Frequency of checking
personal email while at work
Frequency of checking work
email
outside of normal work hours
29%
67%
4%
Increased
Not changed
Decreased
Personal email checking
frequency in 2020
Although hours may
be down, workers are
checking personal
email slightly more
often in 2020.

18. ©2020 Adobe. All Rights Reserved. Adobe Confidential.
US Results (May/June 2020)
Base: All respondents (1,002)
*Work messaging app new in 2020 - also remove “while commuting” from all levels
q7 – 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)?
20%
31% 30%
24%
26%
37%
27%
25%
53% 12%
11%
43%
20%
32%
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 yo
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 and
Gen Z are
driving the
change to check
work email while
still in bed.
Work Messaging App*
• About half of workers will check their work email and messaging apps before work. Only
one in nine are checking personal email when they get to work.

19. ©2020 Adobe. All Rights Reserved. Adobe Confidential.
Communications Methods @Work
19
Email
Phone
Text messaging
Video conferencing or video chat
Instant messaging (e.g., Facebook
Messenger, Jabber, Gchat, Skype)
Face-to-face conversations/in-person
meetings
File sharing service (e.g. Dropbox, Box,
Adobe Document Cloud)
Enterprise social network (e.g., Yammer or
Slack)
Social media
Other
Millennials (A) Gen X (B) Boomers (C)
79%
53%
41%
43%
42%
25%
24%
19%
16%
1%
83%
56%
46%
39%
36%
29%
21%
9%
10%
1%
82%
63%
52%
37%
24%
31%
12%
5%
4%
3%
US Results (May/June 2020)
Base: Millennials (462), Gen X (239), Baby Boomers (215)
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, instant messaging, file
sharing, enterprise social networks, and social media are more popular among millennials.

20. ©2020 Adobe. All Rights Reserved. Adobe Confidential.
Video conferencing or video
chat
Email
Instant messaging (e.g.,
Facebook Messenger, Jabber,
Gchat, Skype)
Phone
Text messaging
File sharing service (e.g.
Dropbox, Box, Adobe
Document Cloud)
Social media
Enterprise social network (e.g.,
Yammer or Slack)
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
42%
Somewha
t
47%
It has
completel
y
changed
11%
50%
34%
43%
28%
20%
16%
14%
19%
8%
0%
57%
43%
37%
30%
31%
11%
11%
4%
3%
1%
52%
37%
23%
33%
34%
10%
3%
4%
3%
3%
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.
US Results (May/June 2020)
q12a - Has remote work changed the way you communicate with your work colleagues? Base: All respondents (1004)
q12aa - Which communication tools are you using more? Base: Work has changed (Millennials 272, Gen X143, Baby Boomers 115)
• Three in five workers have found that report work has changed how they communicate
with video chatting, email, and instant messaging being used more.

21. ©2020 Adobe. All Rights Reserved. Adobe Confidential.
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 US Results (May/June 2020)
Base: Millennials (462), Gen X (239), Baby Boomers (215)
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.
Millennials Gen X Boomers Millennials Gen X Boomers Millennials Gen X Boomers
While watching TV/movie 40% 38% 29% ↓ 66% 72% ↑ 60% 64% ↑ 60% 45% ↓
While in bed 35% ↑ 26% 9% ↓ 67% ↑ 49% ↓ 27% ↓ 63% ↑ 43% ↓ 24% ↓
While on the phone 40% ↑ 31% ↓ 34% 39% ↑ 32% 28% ↓ 38% ↑ 24% ↓ 18% ↓
While in the bathroom 26% ↑ 15% ↓ 7% ↓ 48% ↑ 33% 21% ↓ 48% ↑ 30% ↓ 15% ↓
During a meal with others 26% ↑ 21% 12% ↓ 34% ↑ 28% 18% ↓ 37% ↑ 24% 11% ↓
While in a work meeting 49% ↑ 42% 36% ↓ 24% ↑ 14% 8% ↓ 20% ↑ 10% ↓ 6% ↓
While walking 25% ↑ 18% 9% ↓ 32% ↑ 22% 17% ↓ 37% ↑ 18% ↓ 9% ↓
While in a video conversation 29% ↑ 22% 17% ↓ 18% ↑ 12% 7% ↓ 21% ↑ 9% ↓ 7% ↓
While working out 15% ↑ 8% ↓ 7% ↓ 21% ↑ 10% ↓ 7% ↓ 21% ↑ 7% ↓ 6% ↓
While driving 9% ↑ 5% 2% ↓ 10% ↑ 5% ↓ 6% 11% ↑ 3% ↓ 2% ↓
None of these 17% ↓ 27% 37% ↑ 5% ↓ 9% 22% ↑ 9% ↓ 20% 42% ↑
Work Email Personal Email Social Media
• Most workers report checking their personal email and social media while watching tv, in
bed, and in the bathroom. Work emails are often checked during meetings, while on the
phone, and while watching TV.
• Millennials are most likely to check their work and personal emails and social media while
doing other activities.

22. ©2020 Adobe. All Rights Reserved. Adobe Confidential.
Appropriate Tools for Work Situations
Email Usage US Results (May/June 2020)
Base: All Respondents (1,004)
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...
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
Email 34% 39% 31% 43% 34% 45% 30% 37% 39% 53% 55% 62% 42% 52% 16% 24%
Face-to-face conversations/in-
person meetings
18% 9% 37% 18% 34% 15% 33% 17% 32% 15% 16% 8% 31% 14% 60% 35%
Phone 11% 10% 13% 14% 11% 14% 17% 21% 8% 9% 6% 6% 6% 9% 10% 20%
Video conferencing or video chat 2% 4% 6% 11% 6% 9% 4% 7% 7% 10% 6% 7% 5% 10% 4% 11%
Instant messaging (e.g., Facebook
Messenger, Jabber, Gchat, Skype)
14% 15% 4% 4% 5% 5% 5% 5% 4% 4% 4% 4% 4% 3% 2% 2%
Text messaging 12% 14% 3% 3% 4% 4% 5% 6% 3% 3% 4% 5% 4% 4% 2% 2%
Enterprise social network (e.g.,
Yammer or Slack)
6% 5% 2% 3% 3% 3% 2% 3% 2% 3% 3% 4% 2% 3% 1% 1%
Social media 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 1% 3% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2%
File sharing service (e.g., Dropbox,
Box, Adobe Document Cloud)
2% 2% 2% 1% 2% 2% 2% 2% 3% 1% 2% 2% 3% 2% 1% 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
• Email, video conferencing, and to a lesser extent, phone have all become more
appropriate during COVID-19 (with face-to-face meetings decreasing).

23. ©2020 Adobe. All Rights Reserved. Adobe Confidential.
Handling well
48%
Mostly well, a few
are tone deaf 44%
Many are
inappropriate
8%
Brand Marketing Emails
US (May/June 2020)
Q15d – From your perspective, are brands striking the right tone when it comes to emails related to the COVID-19 pandemic? Base: (1004)
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 (1004)
Q15c – In today's environment, what type of B2B brand content in your work email are you most likely to read/engage with? Base: (1004)
Consumer Brand Content
Engagement
B2b Brand Content
EngagementBrand’sTone in Emails
67%
55%
26%
26%
2%
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
51%
35%
32%
31%
5%
Information on product or service
changes (i.e. shipping delays,
store closures, shorten hours,…
Information on what they are
doing to protect their employees
and customers
Offers/discounts
Tips and tricks to help you
navigate this challenging time
(stories of how other…
Other
• Most brand emails are striking the right tone.
• Offers/discounts and information on product changes are the most engaging for
consumers right now while business are most interested in information on product
changes.