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Distracted every 15 minutes : Unily research exposes workplace digital noise crisis
New research from Unily , a marketleading Employee Experience Platform , highlights the negative impact of workplace interruptions caused by digital notifications on employee wellbeing and productivity . The majority of employees and managers agree that companies are not effectively addressing the issue of digital noise , draining businesses ’ ability to stay competitive and adapt to today ’ s market driven by volatile economic fluctuations and technological advancements .
The rate at which workers report being distracted should be of critical concern to business leaders . Unily ’ s latest research report , the Digital Noise Impact Report , shows that nearly half of all employees are distracted at least once every 30 minutes , and almost a third report being distracted at least once every 15 minutes by a workplace notification . That means employees working eight-hour days could be experiencing over 160 distractions from their workplace digital tools each week .
Tools designed to streamline tasks and enhance collaboration are having the opposite effect , with the constant barrage of notifications , messages and updates taking a toll on employees ’ mental wellbeing and causing significant stress . Nearly six in 10 employees report that digital tools add to their workplace stress , with the biggest contributors revealed to be video conferencing systems ( 44 %), email platforms ( 39 %) and instant messaging applications ( 36 %).
In addition , employees and managers don ’ t think their companies are addressing the growing problem of digital noise in the workplace . Close to half of all managers and almost two in five employees believe companies aren ’ t implementing enough processes to combat the impact of digital noise , suggesting leadership isn ’ t taking the problem seriously enough .
Chris Ciauri , Chief Executive Officer at Unily , said : “ Our report delivers sobering findings on the impact of digital noise in today ’ s workplace , driving organisational lethargy and poor employee experiences . At the same time , we see some of the world ’ s largest and most complex organisations taking the opportunity to improve workplace engagement , with data showing the crucial role a simplified digital landscape and considered use of AI can play in reducing operational friction and increasing efficiency .”
Yet , despite the challenges that digital noise is causing , some tools are exceedingly viewed as effective in helping us do our jobs . Email , for example , was reported by 91 % of respondents as effective in doing their jobs . Other effective tools include intranet and internal communications ( 84 %), messaging platforms ( 83 %) and video conferencing ( 80 %).
While many applications offer rudimentary on / off switches for their notifications , a total blackout may not be the answer . Nearly three in five ( 58 %) believe that notifications have the potential to make them feel productive and informed .
The problem lies in how digital notifications interrupt workers mid-task , placing a tax on time and attention . This can impede their ability to handle context switching , fragmenting attention between tasks , applications and screens . Unily ’ s data shows that two-thirds ( 67 %) want more control over when and where they receive their notifications , highlighting the need for a smarter solution than a simple mute button .
Workers showed a resounding belief in the potential of AI to help quiet the digital noise . Most ( 59 %) believe that AI could reduce excessive notifications and prioritise notifications ( 62 %), and nearly half ( 45 %) believe their organisation should deploy AI to do so . x
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