Study: Tech tools blur work and personal tasks, distracting employees

Dive Brief:

The apps and digital tools that are supposed to help workers be more productive have also become distractions, blurring the line between work and personal tasks, a new GoTo study showed. The 2,000 office employees surveyed are "toggling between work and personal topics on any one of the hundreds of apps and devices they use," said GoTo.
The survey found that 54% of respondents run at least five different computer programs on any given day; office workers could be working on a computer document, while opening up a browser tab or answering a text for non-work-related purposes, or using an app to schedule a meeting while participating in a video conference with colleagues overseas.
GoTo said workplace distractions — like loud conversations and phone calls — have become the norm and cause workers to make mistakes, such as sending emails to the wrong people (57%) or badmouthing people in a message and sending it to that person accidentally (23%).

Dive Insight:

Employers can adopt and enforce policies that keep noise levels from being distracting. A 2018 Udemy report found that although 69% of workers cited distractions at work as a problem, almost as many (66%) never asked employers for help with resolving or dealing with the problem. In fact, 70% of respondents favor training that helps them become more focused and better manage their time.

GoTo recognized that tech communication tools can be a major distraction in the workplace, and workers agree; they cited socializing, phone calls and meetings as major distractions, in a 2018 Robert Half survey. The problem extends to business leaders, as well. Managers reported being less able to lead effectively because of an influx of daily emails, a study from Michigan State University found. HR can access a cadre of sources on managing emails that could help all workers be more productive.

Employees working remotely may face distractions from the office and elsewhere offsite; therefore, training on how to avoid distractions, handle emails and manage time could become a valuable benefit.