Findings from a new study by Cisco (News - Alert) released today note that medium and large enterprises recognize the importance and benefits provided by collaboration technologies but are not offering employees the chance to fully benefit because of corporate policies.

Cisco’s study, “Collaboration Nations,” found that 77 percent of IT decision makers will increase their spending this year on collaboration tools. Their study also uncovered that more than a quarter of employees working for an organization using these technologies do not have “the tools they need to get the job done” and admit to changing settings on their corporate devices.

Conducted by InsightExpress, the study surveyed 2,023 end users and 1,011 information technology decision makers from 10 countries around the world.

According to the report, IT decision makers plan to invest in technologies like video conferencing and VoIP this year as way to help end users collaborate and complete tasks more efficiently.

China and India were also found to be the most progressive in adopting collaboration tools currently.

For employees, the study also uncovered frustrations with applications and devices in the workplace due to restrictions and corporate policies.

As a result, many workers admitted to taking matters into their own hands and accessing restricted applications as a way to “get the job done.”