Staying productive comes more easily to employees who feel engaged and valued at work. A global report from messaging app company Slack found that leaders see workplace productivity as a key component for company success, but many have not changed the way they do things to drive these results.
The report, State of Work 2023, found that resistance to automation and unnecessary meetings and emails are slowing productivity. The most productive employees are far more likely to be automating their workflows compared with less productive counterparts (65% versus 40%), the report said, but only 45% of leaders surveyed are prioritising automations.
Respondents who work in a company that prioritises artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance productivity say that the biggest benefits derived from automation include achieving more with less time and fewer resources (62%), driving more business impact (44%), and creating a better work/life balance (36%), the report said.
“Those who are most productive are 242% more likely to be using AI compared with their less productive counterparts,” the report said. “Globally, workers are saving an average of 3.6 hours every week through automations.”
Slack surveyed 18,149 desk workers and executives across nine countries in February and March.
Busywork that does not directly contribute to the bottom line is also a barrier to improving productivity, the report says. According to respondents, 70% say that fewer meetings and emails would improve productivity, and that nearly 43% of meetings could be eliminated with no real adverse consequences, a statistic “even more pronounced” in the responses of senior leaders.
Productivity expert Hayley Watts explained that constant notifications are detrimental to workplace productivity, and this includes the emails and calls workers get from the people they work with.
“What work is it that’s on your to-do list that’s going to make the most impact? I want to encourage you to start there in the morning rather than starting with the person that’s shouting the loudest,” she said at this year’s UK and Ireland ENGAGE.
Other key takeaways from the Slack report:
Company culture is a key factor. More than half (57%) of those who say they feel they’re “a valued member of their team at work” also say they’re “more productive” than they were before the COVID-19 pandemic. Among those who don’t feel valued, the report said, the number who say they are more productive is 33%.
Flexibility is a universal priority. Respondents in all regions said that flexible work schedules are the best way for employers to drive productivity.
Performative productivity is meaningless. Communicating specific expectations is key. The report found that executives primarily measure productivity through visible activity (27%), which means that on average employees spend 32% of their time on performative work.
“We found no direct correlation between employees feeling pressure to be seen doing performative work and real, measurable gains in what’s being produced,” the report said.
— To comment on this article or to suggest an idea for another article, contact Steph Brown at Stephanie.Brown@aicpa-cima.com.
