OnBoard Releases Results from First Annual Board Effectiveness Survey

Survey respondents indicate that digital meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic created more effective, collaborative, and strategic boards 

INDIANAPOLIS, May 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- OnBoard, the award-winning board management solution that simplifies and secures board meeting communication and collaboration, today released the findings from its first annual OnBoard Board Effectiveness survey. Results show that between March 2020 and March 2021, boards became more effective, more collaborative, and spent more time on vital strategic issues than prior to the pandemic – and that the shift to digital board meetings was a primary facilitator of these outcomes.

The survey included responses from more than 282 board directors, administrators, and staff members in more than six countries and spanned numerous industries, including nonprofits, higher education, financial services, healthcare, professional associations, and others.

"Many boardrooms have not experienced the wave of digital transformation that's occurred over the last decade – but the pandemic changed everything," says OnBoard co-founder and CEO Paroon Chadha. "The survey results show that digital boardrooms are now a demonstrable best practice, enabling boards to be better prepared, more productive, and more effective at governance."

Digital Boards are More Effective  
Despite the initial challenges of digitizing board meetings during the pandemic – including difficulties recreating face-to-face interactions, the lack of opportunity for ad hoc conversations, a less conducive format for complex discussions – the majority of respondents (79%) indicated they felt their boards were more effective. And most respondents cited the shift to remote work and virtual meetings as the primary cause for this newfound effectiveness.

Board Effectiveness survey respondents confirmed:

• 79% said their boards have improved effectiveness in the past 12 months, with 59% citing the shift to remote work as the primary cause.
• 66% have seen improvements in board collaboration.
• 47% have spent more time discussing strategic issues.
• 57% of respondents used a digital board management platform. Amongst these respondents, 81% indicated their boards' improved effectiveness.
• Of the 43% of respondents who did not use board management software, only 58% noted increased effectiveness.
• More board management software users also reported that board materials were sent earlier compared to non-users and that board members were better prepared overall.

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