There’s no question that workplace apps are changing the way we work. It’s hard to imagine the days when we had to tackle projects and collaborate without the efficiency of file sharing, video conferencing, and team messaging, to name a few.
Yet, with all the benefits these apps offer, they also create some challenges. Simply finding the information you need in three or more apps can be frustrating. It’s no surprise that employees are feeling overwhelmed from the quantity of applications available and resulting deficit of order. Our recent survey of knowledge workers and their experiences with the business apps they use every day revealed that app overload is very real, and has serious consequences on workplace productivity.
Communications Apps – The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Think about the apps you use every day at work. Are you like the average worker who uses at least four communications apps every day, or closer to one of the nearly 20% who use six or more? Either way, that is a lot of information to keep track of.
Keeping track of all of those apps takes its toll, not just on you but on your company’s bottom line. Every minute you spend toggling between apps adds up, and those numbers are astonishing. Two-thirds of workers spend at least 60 minutes a day just toggling back and forth between apps. That adds up to more than a month lost every year, and costs billions of dollars in lost productivity annually for businesses. ⅔ of workers lose over 32 days of work every year just toggling between apps! Get the solution on the @RingCentral blog https://ringcentr.al/2KIzGX7 Share on X
Things are Getting Serious
Getting pulled into a water cooler conversation is obviously going to disrupt your day, but when asked to rate workplace disruption activities, workers indicated that navigating between apps was just as disruptive to their workday as in-person conversations with co-workers and nearly as disruptive as email. All those work apps driving you crazy? More than half of workers would rather pay bills than navigate comms apps https://ringcentr.al/2KIzGX7 Share on X
But not all disruption is created equal. Chit-chatting with colleagues has its perks, but most workers agreed that trying to navigate between all these workplace apps is more annoying than either paying bills, losing weight, or doing household chores.
The Solution is Clear
The amount of incoming data isn’t going to slow down anytime soon, and the communications apps to choose from will only increase over time. To gain workplace zen and take back lost productivity, it’s critical that companies find a solution to app overload and workplace chaos. Luckily, workers already know what they want, and have a clear solution in mind.
Our three-part blog series will continue to unravel the solution employees prefer and anticipated benefits. Can’t wait? Download our full report on how app overload is reshaping the digital workplace and give your employees the simplicity they desire from their business communications solutions today.
Originally published May 17, 2018, updated Oct 03, 2021
