Our New Research Reveals Banning Email in the Workplace Is the Wrong Approach to Email Overload
Posted by David Grossman on Wed, Jun 06, 2012
A trend among global companies that eliminates or limits internal email to employees is a misguided strategy, based on our research – released today – in partnership with LCWA Research Group.
“The 2012 Work-Related Email Perception Study” shows that while middle managers typically spend 100 hours (6,000 minutes) a year on irrelevant email, they don’t want their ability to use email taken away or even interrupted at any time.
Findings reveal:
- Executives (84 percent), middle managers (83 percent), and employees (77 percent) overwhelmingly agree that email is an effective and necessary communication tool
- Only 8 percent of executives, 15 percent of middle managers, and 11 percent of employees said that limiting email during normal business hours would be very effective
- Only 11 percent of executives, 20 percent of middle managers, and 13 percent of employees said that limiting email outside normal business hours would be very effective
- Only 3 percent of executives, 12 percent of middle managers, and 7 percent of employees said eliminating email outside business hours would be very effective
While respondents said they don’t want access to email interrupted, they do want policies that address the overwhelming volumes of irrelevant emails. Sixty-one percent of executives and 55 percent of middle managers said that email policies would be very effective in their organization.
Curious about what research respondents reported as the most annoying email habits? Download the complete report today.
Tell us what you think. Would email etiquette policies be effective in your organization?
-David Grossman
* The web-based survey included 1,300 respondents comprised of corporate executives within Fortune 1,000 companies, middle managers, supervisors and non-supervising employees.
__
