90% Indians feel video calls help them combat loneliness: Zoom report

90% of the respondents feel that it helped them to combat feelings of loneliness, while 92% of the respondents agreed that virtual and remote activities have helped them stay connected with others during this period.

Zoom (REUTERS)

At a time when the pandemic has forced people to stay apart, video calls have proven to be a lifeline for connectedness. They have not only helped businesses be agile but they have also helped people stay connected and participate in various life events from afar. Now, a new report by video conferencing platform Zoom has shown the impact that video calls have had on people in India.

Zoom today shared the results of a report titled ‘How Virtual Do We Want Our Future to Be?' wherein it surveyed 7,689 respondents from the USA, UK, Mexico, Brazil, France, Germany, Japan, India, Singapore and Australia from March 15 to March 26. Of the 7,689 respondents, 1,007 respondents were from India. In its report, the company accessed the role of video conferencing in the present and in the future. In its report, Zoom noted that 72% of respondents in India used various video calls for education purposes, while 62% of the respondents used it for social gatherings and celebrations.

But that's not all, the survey showed that 59% of the respondents used video calls for events, 58% of the respondents used them for entertainment, 50% of the respondents used business, and 42% of the respondents used it for telehealth. As per the report, other sectors such as FSI, retail, fitness, and government saw a usage between 20-40%. “Zoom emerges as one of the top VC apps in India, having high levels of awareness (85%) and usage (72%), and 61% respondents using it over a seven-day period,” the report said.

Interestingly, while on one hand, the report showed how video calling platforms helped people from various industries stay connected, on the other hand, it also helped people deal with mental stress. The report also showed that 92% of the respondents agree that video calling platforms give everyone an opportunity to participate during meetings. Similarly, 90% of the respondents feel that it helped them to combat feelings of loneliness, while 92% of the respondents agreed that virtual and remote activities have helped them stay connected with others during this period. Additionally, nearly 75% of the respondents said that these activities helped to improve emotional health.

As far as the future of businesses is concerned, the study showed that video conferencing will play a huge role in the future of business and the hybrid workspace. While 50% of the respondents revealed to have used video calling platforms for business purposes, 52% of the respondents said that they appreciate having a choice between virtual and physical meetings as they feel “hybrid workplaces will save time and provide convenience”. On the other hand, 39% of the respondents expect to travel more post-pandemic, while 37% of the respondents expect less travel than in the pre-Covid era.

Additionally, the report showed that 71% of the respondents in education opted for a video calling platform as it was a safer option for students, while 46% of the respondents plan for education to have both in-person and virtual components, indicating a clear trend of hybrid learning.

As far as the financial services are concerned, 74% of the respondents used video conferencing platforms to access financial services, while 56% of the respondents benefitted from the video conferencing platform by having access to new financial services that were not available in person. On the other hand, 38% of the respondents feel positive about the hybrid model.