FEATURE such as the school run , the downside is the feeling or expectation of being constantly available .
Whether it is emails , Teams or Slack notifications , or other similar connectivity tools ,
WHERE FIVE YEARS AGO 74 % FELT TECHNOLOGY IMPROVED EFFICIENCY AND 87 % FELT IT IMPROVED PRODUCTIVITY , THESE HAVE NOW DROPPED CONSIDERABLY , TO 48 % AND 46 % RESPECTIVELY . the non-stop ping of notifications has become the daily soundtrack of our working lives . Video calls have not only replaced regular meetings that would have happened face to face or via phone call , but they have also multiplied in a bid to compensate for the decline in direct contact .
As a result , our days are spent communicating digitally , almost non-stop , about the work that needs to be done or that we are planning to do , which is actually impacting our ability to do the work in question .
This is not just anecdotal , but quantifiable . A recent study explored the change in work behaviours and attitudes between 2016 and now .
One eye-catching finding was the decline in respondents ’ belief that digital technologies increase personal efficiency and productivity .
Where five years ago 74 % felt technology improved efficiency and 87 % felt it improved productivity , these have now dropped considerably , to 48 % and 46 % respectively .
Fewer than half of people now believe technology is helping them to do their jobs better , despite the fact that a lack of technology would have , in many cases , made work almost impossible during lockdown .
This reflects the reality that most of us are currently experiencing : that we are working longer hours , working more intensely and juggling more demands , and that additional layers of technology – instant messaging , videoconferencing , collaboration platforms , now all the norm in our immersive , work from home age – seem to be making many of us less efficient and less productive . We are so busy communicating , there is no time to do any work .
A balanced future
The good news is that this is not an insurmountable issue . The past 12 months have in
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