Study finds hybrid work causing major productivity losses

New research conducted by Scalable Software has uncovered significant productivity losses among employees in the US and UK due to challenges faced by IT departments in adapting to hybrid digital work environments. The study surveyed 400 IT decision makers (ITDMs) and found that employees lose an average of nearly four hours each week due to shortcomings in digital employee experiences (DEX).

A striking 90% of ITDMs reported experiencing "productivity paranoia" concerning hybrid working. However, it was found that most companies still rely on traditional productivity measures, which are not suitable for assessing performance in a hybrid digital workplace. Metrics such as work output, line manager assessments, time tracking software, and employee self-assessments are commonly used. These methods risk conflating mere online presence or output with actual productivity.

Mark Cresswell, Co-Founder of Scalable Software, commented on the findings, highlighting the crucial role of digital efficiency in productivity. He pointed out that many organisations fail to appreciate that their current productivity metrics provide only a partial view of employees' performance. Cresswell noted that numerous knowledge-based jobs do not lend themselves to simple quantification of output, thus making such measures a poor indicator of productivity. He also noted that IT teams lack sufficient insight into task completion, digital friction, and workflow optimisation.

Previous research by Scalable Software indicated that 43% of knowledge workers experience reduced job satisfaction due to poor DEX, and 29% claimed it made them consider quitting. The survey identified the top three causes of poor DEX as frequent toggling between applications, applications freezing, crashing or loading slowly, and managing too many communication channels, leading to "notification overload."

Despite this shared understanding between workers and ITDMs about the major DEX challenges, IT departments continue to rely on reactive metrics such as IT support ticket volumes, service desk performance, and employee self-assessments to analyse DEX. According to Cresswell, IT departments need to shift their focus from a reactive "break/fix" mentality to proactively eliminating digital friction and measuring productivity objectively to support hybrid work environments.

Cresswell asserted that while many IT leaders understand the challenges, they often lack the necessary tools to identify and address productivity barriers. Organisations that adopt DEX analytics can significantly benefit by optimising digital experiences, thereby enhancing workforce productivity and overall job satisfaction. Consequently, this leads to a healthier bottom line and positions the IT department as a vital component of modern enterprises.

For organisations to effectively analyse productivity through improved DEX, deploying platforms capable of aggregating and analysing data from every endpoint is essential. Such measures will allow IT departments to deliver superior digital experiences, keeping employees engaged and productive, whether they work from home or the office.