Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, companies were forced to invest in different communication vehicles for their employees, but they may have bitten off more than they can chew.
A new study conducted by Loom, a video communication software company, shows over 1,000 workers spend close to four hours a day communicating through emails, instant messages, video conferences, and the phone. It may not sound bad as long as the conversations are work-related, but it costs corporations a hefty sum—companies are dishing out $21 billion per week because of it.
It’s also causing focus and work-life balance difficulties for employees.
According to the report, 51% of workers are doubling up on messages to create a trail of accountability, while 50%
want to ensure more people see their message. This highlights how productive work time is being mismanaged and crossing into employees’ personal lives, using workplace verbiage on the regular. Terms like “follow up” and “circle back” have been used with friends or family, which shows how employees have been told to switch up their vernacular; 17% who’ve been told to stop using a specific word or phrase.There is nothing wrong with adding a new word or two to the rotation, but it has become a focus of employees, and that is taking away from work. Loom co-founder and CEO Joe Thomas said how people communicate can be a sensitive topic. “People deeply value team connection—not only for improving productivity and collaboration, but also for increased job satisfaction, decreased stress, and the peace of mind that comes from expressing your true self at work,” Thomas said.
So what can be done to change this? Like the rest of the world, Loom executives suggest artificial intelligence platforms that Thomas feels can reduce jargon and simplify communication regardless of security issues.