Is Technology to Blame for Low Productivity at Work

by Frankie Wallace, Guest Contributor

Technology is supposed to make our lives better and make us more efficient. But is it actually working the way it is supposed to? It’s a good question, and one that companies are asking more often. When employees are less productive, why and what can be done about it?

The answers are not always clear, and increasingly there is some thought that technology may be making employees less productive rather than the intended increase in efficiency. Is technology really to blame? Or is it those using the technology and the policies that companies have in place?
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Here are some possible answers, and what companies can do about them.

Smartphone Woes
Smartphones mean we are forever in touch, and companies use communication apps, proprietary work applications, project management apps like Asana and Evernote, and even HR applications to make sure that even when they are away from their desks, employees can get work done.

But what about that smartphone sitting on the desk when an employee is working? In one survey, 55 percent of employees agree that smartphones and texting are one of the biggest productivity killers at the office. What should companies do about this issue? There are a few clear options:

• Regulate cell phone use while in the office: Most messaging and other apps can happen on a desktop or laptop computer, and having a smartphone at the desk, at least while working, can be counterproductive.
• Allow for only company cell phone use: Company issued cell phones can be set up as a part of an overall IT device management plan, and therefore their use can be limited to business only. This does have some drawbacks, as certain apps can be truly useful for both work and business, and this also creates an additional expense.
• Educate employees: It is often difficult to mandate compliance when it comes to electronic devices. Instead, educate employees on how to use their phones at work, and offer apps that restrict the use of certain programs at certain times or that have time limits on web surfing, social media, and other messaging programs during the hours employees are at work.

Smartphones can be a great help to businesses and even making employees more productive on the go, but they can be a distraction in the office. You may need to be creative to solve this issue, but it is one that can be overcome.

Technology and Stress
All this communication is great, and so is being connected whenever you need to be, but technology can actually contribute to stress, and stress has a huge impact on how productive employees can be. Employees can even be the victim of communication overload when receiving too many emails and messages at once. There are viable solutions to this as well, and here are a few ideas.

• Make communications clear: Make sure the message you are trying to get across is understood by the employee.
• Communicate only as needed: It is probably not necessary to include the entire company in email chains not related to their work.
• Avoid the dreaded “reply all”: Respond to those who need your message. Leave the rest of the company out of that reply chain. Make sure employees follow the same guideline.
• Use only necessary messaging apps: Don’t use several apps to communicate. Try to limit them to one or two when possible, and make sure employees know which method is best for which situation.
• Encourage message breaks: There are times when an employee just needs to concentrate on a task at hand. Encourage breaks from messenger and even email throughout the day.

The key is to have realistic communication expectations. Encourage employees to respond within reasonable time frames to messages, and limit communications to things that are essential to the tasks at hand.

Working on the Go
Working on the go is good for everyone, at least in some ways. However, there is an important balance to be had. Work /life balance is an essential part of happy and productive employees. The trend toward remote work often means that instead of being distracted by never leaving home, employees are instead distracted by never leaving work. This can create issues if they are checking email and messaging all the time, even in off-work hours.

How can you help? By training your employees about proper work/life balance practices.

• Never work off the clock.
• Turn off notifications from work apps and email during time off and vacations.
• When working at home, shut off the computer and close the door to your home office when done or not working.
• Be present with clients and customers. Leave devices alone, and check them between meetings and interactions.

Studies show that employees who work remotely are often more productive than their office counterparts, but stress, lack of work/life balance, and smartphone woes can erase those advantages. Technology is great for productivity in other ways as well, but it can have a downside. Be conscious of this, and establish policies, procedures, and habits that encourage efficiency and eliminate low productivity that can be caused by technology.
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