90% feel video calls help them combat loneliness: report

ABOUT 90% of respondents feel that video calls have helped them to combat feelings of loneliness amid the pandemic, a report said yesterday.

The survey conducted by video-conferencing platform Zoom in collaboration with Qualtrics Research also revealed that 50% of respondents have used video calls for business purposes.

And over half of them (52%) appreciate having a choice between virtual and physical meetings as they feel “hybrid workplaces will save time and provide convenience”. “India adjusted and adopted video call platforms rapidly. It wasn’t just a shift in technology but in behavioural mindset as well,” Sameer Raje, general manager and head of India, Zoom, said.

In India’s sector-specific dive, the report finds that the most common use of video calls are seen in education (72%), celebration/social gatherings (62%), events (59%), entertainment (58%), business (50%) and a sector that gained prominence during the pandemic, telehealth (42%).

More than 90% of respondents felt that virtual and remote activities have helped them stay connected with others during this period, while 75% said that these activities helped to improve emotional health, the survey revealed.

When it comes to business travel, 39% expect to travel more post-pandemic.

The survey included 7 689 respondents from the US, the UK, Mexico, Brazil, France, Germany, Japan, India, Singapore and Australia from March 15-26, 2021. |