Bleep off. Workplace devices interrupt people every fifteen minutes

A new poll from Unily, claims to highlight the negative impact digital notifications have on wellbeing and productivity. The majority of employees and managers surveyed agree that companies are not effectively addressing the issue of digital noise – the way apps and devices interrupt people constantly. According to the Digital Noise Impact Report [registration], nearly half of all employees are distracted at least once every 30 minutes, and almost a third report being distracted at least once every 15 minutes by a workplace notification. That means employees working 8-hour days could be experiencing over 160 distractions from their workplace digital tools each week.

Nearly six in ten employees say that digital tools add to their workplace stress, with the biggest contributors revealed to be video conferencing systems (44 percent), email platforms (39 percent), and instant messaging applications (36 percent).

In addition, employees and managers don’t think their companies are addressing the growing problem of digital noise in the workplace. Close to half of all managers, and almost two in five employees believe companies aren’t implementing enough processes to combat the impact of digital noise, suggesting leadership isn’t taking the problem seriously enough.

Chris Ciauri, Chief Executive Officer at Unily, said: “Our report delivers sobering findings on the impact of digital noise in today’s workplace, driving organizational lethargy and poor employee experiences. At the same time, we see some of the world’s largest and most complex organizations taking the opportunity to improve workplace engagement, with data showing the crucial role a simplified digital landscape and considered use of AI can play in reducing operational friction and increasing efficiency.”

While many applications offer rudimentary on/off switches for their notifications, a total blackout may not be the answer. Nearly three in five (58 percent) believe that notifications have the potential to make them feel productive and informed.

The problem lies in how digital notifications interrupt workers mid-task, placing a tax on time and attention. This can impede their ability to handle context switching, fragmenting attention between tasks, applications, and screens. Unily’s data shows that two-thirds (67 percent) want more control over when and where they receive their notifications, highlighting the need for a smarter solution than a simple mute button.

Managers also appear to be bearing the brunt of these distractions. Over 59 percent reported a digital noise distraction every 30 minutes or less, compared to 48 percent of all respondents, while 39 percent said they are distracted every 15 minutes or less, compared to 31 percent of all respondents.