Digital media overload as over half of workers unable to find information easily

Over half of UK workers (57 percent), are regularly experiencing an inability to locate information easily across a range of digital media, including emails, apps, messages and the internet, a new survey claims. The survey conducted via YouGov, for Evernote, also revealed that 87 percent of digital workers use up to four devices such as a smartphone, tablet, laptop, desktop, and/or a smart watch on a daily basis to access information. The majority (83 percent) of people use at least one app a day to source information. 31 percent of workers are accessing between five to nine apps per day and 18 percent are utilising over 10 apps a day. However, when it comes to face to face communications rather than digital, respondents were much more positive, with nearly half of those asked (45 percent) expressing that they felt they had the right number of meetings at work, and just 16 percent of those saying they feel their work day is filled with too many meetings.

According to Beat Bühlmann, General Manager at Evernote EMEA “UK workers are facing a triple overload that means data, communication and cognitive overloads are all existing together and seriously affecting productivity.

“Previous research has found that a third of UK employees are ready to quit their jobs because nearly half their time is spent on “work about work” like searching for information. To be more precise the average knowledge workers spend two and a half hours a day  searching for information and are interrupted or changing tasks every three-five minutes  making for a challenging work environment.”

The UK is now 27 percent less productive than their German counterparts and is 15 percent behind in productivity compared to the other members of the G7 groups of industrial nations according to the Office for National Statistics. 

Bühlmann continues “Whilst the digital age and approach of the fourth industrial revolution has brought about much needed automation and innovation across many industries, the result is that we now face more information and communication tools than before. It’s a critical time for the UK as it seeks to improve productivity, looking at ways to streamline information within work and aid more work time and head space for employees.”

Evernote recently launched Spaces a new feature of Evernote Business. Spaces uses artificial intelligence and machine learning like “context search”, so employees can easily find and access information platform-independent and work together in one space.

For more information download Evernote’s white paper on the triple overload and how to solve it.