Citing background research which found that “people check their mobile devices up to 150 times every day”, the report found that interruptions and  involvement in constant and multiple communication flows (“hyper-connectivity”) are minimising employees’ ability to absorb and process information.  Additionally, as the “the sun never sets on a global company, so someone is always working”, new information is constantly being generated, creating unexpected difficulties with employees being able to access the “right” information.  Lost in a sea of information, 72% of employees say they “cannot find the information they need within their company’s information systems”.  Efficiently sorting through the information deluge, and creating more time to think and produce insights, were the key messages from this research

In the context of hyper-connectivity and information overload, a study cited in the report found that workers spend 41% of their time on things that don’t satisfy them personally and do not help productivity.  Not wishing to take a “victim lens”, the report also noted that employees buy into corporate cultures which view “‘being busy’ as a badge of honour”, confusing success with activity rather than insight, and thus reinforcing the overwhelmed employee cycle

Given this complexity, it is no wonder that the report found that 65% of executives rated “the overwhelmed employee” as an “urgent” or “important” trend.  Moreover, this was an issue for all of the 94 countries surveyed

Notwithstanding the fact that two-thirds of respondents rated the issue as important or urgent, the survey results showed that 57% of respondents believe their organisations are “weak” when it comes to supporting employees with information overload and helping leaders manage their hectic schedules.   Further, almost half (44%) said they do not have the capability to support this issue, i.e. to know how to treat the issue as a “shared problem requiring a company response”

The report concluded that whilst organisations recognise the importance and negative impact of the “overwhelmed employee” issue, capability gaps are preventing organisations from having the ability to implement mitigation strategies. Leaders just don’t know what to do, and paradoxically their own information overload is likely to be impacting the time they have to think creatively about a strategic response

The report identified four types of company strategies that are being implemented to influence communication and working patterns so as to reduce the overwhelmed employee experience, namely

1. the use of smaller, agile teams

2. simplifying HR practices and employee systems

3. outsourcing or insourcing non-core tasks

4. changing work expectations.

1. Smaller, agile teams:  The report noted research findings by Hackman (a former professor at Harvard University and Yale University), that small teams outperform larger teams. This has stimulated a focus on small team interaction (reducing information flows), and size settings, for example the CEO of Amazon, created a “two pizza” rule. This rule states that all meetings should be small enough that two pizzas can feed everyone in the room.  Additionally the report noted the rise of Agile project methodology which emphasises short bursts of communication (e.g. 15 minute meetings) to reduce the time burden of lengthy meetings
2. Simplifying HR practices and employee systems: The report identified HR policies and practices to promote workplace flexibility and enable employees to switch off.  Additionally, some companies such as Adobe have eliminated steps in their performance appraisals processes to save time.  Others have focussed on the HR user interface to minimise the number of clicks or swipes an end user has to complete
3. Outsourcing or insourcing non-core tasks.  Pfizer has developed a program to enable employees to off-load technical and administrative non-core tasks, resulting in scientists spending more time on value adding activities which use their scientific skills
4. Changing work expectations.  The report noted that companies are experimenting with “email free” time.  One company has curtailed the use of “cc” or “reply all” and earmarked a half a day a week to focus on the company’s leadership initiatives.