Breaking Bad Habits: The Negative Effect of Email and Instant Messaging on the Workplace

Dr Thomas Jackson
Computer Science Department Loughborough University, UK t: +44 !"#$!% &&'&(#, ): +44 !"#$!% &##$'* t+,+-ackson./boro+ac+uk"

Mr Ray a!son

1r Darren 2i/son
3n)ormation Systems Director The Dan,oo0 4roup, Linco/n, UK 0arren+,i/son.0an,oo0+co+uk"

Computer Science Department Loughborough University, UK r+-+0a,son./boro+ac+uk"

The use of electronic messaging has grown rapidly in recent years as it enables us to communicate in ways that we have not been able to in the past. Although its ease of use, quickness, and ability to reach many individuals at one time make it attractive communication medium, these characteristics can lead to negative consequences. This paper highlights the problems with electronic messaging in the workplace and shows what can be done to increase employee communication effectiveness, in terms of changing the way employees work and how the next generation of electronic messaging applications will enable employees to become more productive.

"#

INTR$ %&TI$N

3t has /ong been c/ear that emai/ is more than -ust a simp/e communication system 5#6&7+ 8mai/ has become a centra/ e/ement o) the ,ay ,ork is con0ucte0 in organisations ,here computers are use0+ 3t is no, the source o) many 0i))erent o))ice tasks, serving as the p/ace in ,hich ,ork is receive0 an0 0e/egate05(7+ 9or to0ay:s computer user at ,ork, emai/ is much more than an or0inary app/ication+ 3t has become a part o) the ,orking habitat 547+ To0ay there are current/y (4 mi//ion peop/e in the US that have access to the 3nternet 5$7+ The 3nternationa/ Data Corporation 3DC" has pre0icte0 that ($ bi//ion emai/s ,i// be sent every 0ay by &!!$+ ;t the en0 o) &!!&, the )igure

stan0s at #4 bi//ion+ 3DC:s 8mai/ Usage 9orecast an0 ;na/ysis report )urther estimates that the number o) emai/s sent annua//y in 2estern 8urope ,i// be #+* tri//ion in &!!$5*7+

Since the intro0uction o) emai/, ,hich 0ates back to sometime in /ate #%<#, ,hen a computer engineer name0 =ay Tom/inson sent the )irst emai/ message ,ith an >.? symbo/, there has been the intro0uction o) a ne, o))ice communication too/ ca//e0 instant messaging 31"+ 3nstant messaging, once a nove/ty, is set to take centre stage in the ,ay many o) us communicate both at home an0 at ,ork+ ;bout ha/) the US;@s ma-or corporations use instant messaging, ,hich /ets peop/e converse, virtua//y in rea/ time, by sen0ing Auick missives over the 3nternet, research )irm 4artner 4roup says[7]+ The number has 0oub/e0 the past year an0 at /east some emp/oyees at %!B o) big companies ,i// use it in the ,orkp/ace by &!!(, 4artner pre0icts+ Current/y over #!! mi//ion peop/e a/rea0y use some )orm o) instant messaging so)t,are+ Cy &!!4, 31 is eDpecte0 to be more popu/ar than e6mai/ as a metho0 o) communication [8]+ 3t is there)ore no surprise that the big internet companies are at ,ar over this simp/e service that a//o,s peop/e )rom a// over the ,or/0 to have teDt6base0 conversations ,ith each other in rea/ time+ To 0ate there has been no shortage o) corporate interest in instant messaging+ 1ore than )ive bi//ion instant messages ,ere sent using Eahoo in September, up ##$B on /ast year, accor0ing to internet tracking company 1e0ia 1atriD[9]+ 2ith the /ike/y event that the number o) e/ectronic messages sent are set to increase, there sti// has on/y been /imite0 research carrie0 out into the e))ectiveness o) emai/ an0 instant messaging ,ithin the ,orkp/ace+ 3n the ma-ority o) companies, emai/ an0 instant messaging is thought to be an e))icient communication process by both the emp/oyees an0 most important/y emp/oyers, but the rea/ impact o) using computers to communicate has not been ana/yse0+ This is main/y 0ue to the attitu0e o), >Fur competitors are using it an0 it ,orks ,e// )or them?+ =esearch con0ucte0 by the authors o) this paper high/ights the prob/ems ,ith emai/ an0 instant messaging an0 ho, it can a))ect emp/oyee e))ectiveness i) the communication me0ium is not manage0 correct/y+

'#

THE IM($RT)N&E $* E**E&TI+E &$MM%NI&)TI$N

8))ective communication has positive returns an0, by eDecutives: o,n vote, no aspect o) a manager:s per)ormance is o) greater importance to his or her success than communication 5#!7+ 3n the Garvar0 Cusiness =evie, artic/e, >2hat he/ps or harms promotabi/ityH?, 4ar0a Co,man #%*4"

0iscovers the Aua/ities that characterise promotab/e eDecutives+ She reports that the abi/ity to communicate is at the highest rung out o) ' rungs" o) the /a00er to promotion+ 2ith the ,i0esprea0 acceptance o) computer6me0iate0 communication techno/ogy, it stan0s to reason that the abi/ity to communicate ,i// a/so re)/ect the abi/ity to communicate e))ective/y ,ith a// types o) communication me0ia avai/ab/e+ ; prob/em that some organisations )in0 is that techno/ogy o)ten magni)ies short)a//s in communication ski//s5#&7+ 1ost are not taught ho, to be e))ective e/ectronic communicators 5#(7 an0 a constant barrage o) /ess6than6use)u/ emai/ messages 0isrupts ,ork)/o, an0 robs emp/oyees o) pro0uctive time5#&7+ 3t has been revea/e0 that more than *$B o) a// messages )ai/e0 to /eave receivers enough in)ormation to enab/e them to act on the message 5#&7+ Io company can a))or0 such in)ormation incompetence5#47 but, as many stu0ies are 0iscovering, e/ectronic messaging use is gro,ing at an increasing rate+ ; stu0y by 802e/ J Company, a Chicago6base0 consu/ting an0 training )irm, 0iscovere0 that some in0ivi0ua/s receive '! to #!! emai/ messages per 0ay 5#&7+ ;verage emai/ users ,ere sai0 to receive approDimate/y #$ messages per 0ay an0 spen0 a/most $! minutes mere/y rea0ing those messages5#&7+ Though there has been no empirica/ stu0ies un0ertaken into the number o) instant message interactions an emp/oyee receives a 0ay, the authors be/ieve that the )igure is about ha/) to that o) the number o) emai/ messages sent+

,#

THE E**E&T $* INTERR%(TIN- THE W$R. ()TTERN

;part )rom having e))ects on ,ork outcomes, interruptions can a/so a))ect the persona/ state, in particu/ar the emotions o) the ,orker+ ;/rea0y in #%&', Fvsiankina mentione0 the eDistence o) negative emotions as a resu/t o) interruptions as sub-ects )e/t irritate0+ 1an0/er, )irst in #%*4 an0 /ater in #%<$ an0 #%'4, )ormu/ate0 the re/ation bet,een interruptions an0 emotions in more 0etai/+ Ge be/ieve0 that another phenomenon is invo/ve0 in the interruption process, besi0es the ten0ency to comp/ete, name/y, an emotiona/ response+ This response can 0irect ,orkers: behaviour an0 it 0oes not emerge un/ess an organise0 response has been interrupte0+ So )ar, no stu0y has yet a00resse0 the issue o) emotions in interrupte0 ,ork, a/though some researchers have ackno,/e0ge0 its importance5#%7,
5&!7

+ Ieverthe/ess, it is a common )ee/ing that interrupts are annoying an0 any

research that can /ea0 to a re0uction o) interruption e))ects is there)ore to be ,e/come0+

=esearch carrie0 out by So/ingen into communication interrupts sho,e0 #$6&! percent o) an emp/oyee:s e))ort is spent 0ea/ing ,ith interrupts an0 in rea/ terms #$6&! minutes per interrupt 5&#7+ ;n interruption is 0e)ine0 as Kany 0istraction that makes a 0eve/oper stops his p/anne0 activity to respon0 to the interrupt:s initiator:5&#7+ Go,ever, an emai/ interruption is 0e)ine0 as Kany emai/ 0istraction that makes an emp/oyee stop their p/anne0 activity:5&&7, as sho,n by 9igure #+ There ,ere three types o) interrupts 0e)ine0: persona/ visits, te/ephone ca//s an0 emai/s+ Lersona/ visits an0 te/ephone ca//s cause0 %! percent o) a// interrupts an0 emai/ cause0 the rest+ The resu/ts sho,e0 the e))ort spent on interrupts reAuire0 approDimate/y &! minutes )or each occurrence, inc/u0ing the time spent han0/ing the interrupt, an0 that the average 0eve/oper receives three to )ive interrupts per 0ay+ This consumes rough/y # to #+$ hours per 0ay o) the 0eve/oper:s time+

9igure # Three Lhases o) 3nterruption De1arco reporte0 that the recovery time a)ter a phone ca// interruption is at /east #$ minutes, thus increasing the amount o) time spent on interrupts a 0ay5&(7+ Go,ever, De1arco:s research ,as carrie0 out using so)t,are 0eve/opers as the sub-ects+ The high/y creative nature o) a so)t,are 0eve/oper:s -ob means they are /ike/y to reAuire eDtra time to recover )rom an interrupt compare0 to other -ob ro/es+ This may account )or the surprising/y /ong, #$ minutes recovery time+ So )ar, there has been no reporte0 empirica/ research into ho, /ong it takes to recover )rom an emai/ interrupt or an instant message+ This cou/0 be because o) the perception o) emai/ as causing a minima/ interrupt+

/# RE0E)R&H INT$ E1E&TR$NI& ME00)-IN- INTERR%(TI$N0 WITH THE W$R.(1)&E

3n the /ast )our years signi)icant research has been carrie0 out at Loughborough University, )un0e0 by the Dan,oo0 4roup, into the use o) emai/ ,ithin the ,orkp/ace an0 its impact on the emp/oyee an0 their -ob+ The research ,as con0ucte0 by the authors, at the Dan,oo0 4roup base0 in the UK, an0 invo/ve0 monitoring a// the emp/oyees: emai/ interactivity inc/u0ing the activities /ea0ing up to an0 a)ter an emai/ interruption5&&7+ The purpose o) this research ,as to 0etermine i) emai/ ha0 an interrupt recovery time an0 this ,as ca/cu/ate0 by recor0ing the amount o) time that it took emp/oyees to return to their ,ork at the same ,ork rate at ,hich they /e)t it+ This reAuire0 an e/ement o) -u0gment by the person revie,ing the recor0e0 materia/+ Go,ever, in near/y every case there ,as a c/ear point ,here the user cease0 to move the mouse aroun0 the screen an0 -ump bet,een screens trying to pick up their train o) thought an0 the pro0uction o) use)u/ ,ork+ ;/though this may be regar0e0 as a rather ineDact measure, the c/ear change as the user starts pro0uctive ,ork means that, in practice, interpretation o) the activities by 0i))erent peop/e ,ou/0 not have given any signi)icant 0i))erence in the resu/ts+ The ma-or )in0ings )rom the research ,ere:

;// the emp/oyees ha0 a ne, >emai/ arrive0? icon appear in the system tray ,hen ne, emai/ arrive0 an0 $<B o) the emp/oyees a/so ha0 a ne, >emai/ arrive0? pop6up 0ia/ogue boD appear+

3t took the emp/oyees an average o) # minute 44 secon0s to react to a ne, emai/ noti)ication by opening up the emai/ app/ication+ The ma-ority o) emai/s, <!B, ,ere reacte0 to ,ithin * secon0s o) them arriving an0 '$B ,ere reacte0 to ,ithin & minutes o) arriving+ The ma-ority o) emp/oyees have their emai/ app/ication set to check )or emai/ every $ minutes+ The time it takes the emp/oyees to recover )rom an emai/ interrupt, an0 to return to their ,ork at the same ,ork rate at ,hich they /e)t it, ,as )oun0 to be on average *4 secon0s+

The resu/ts sho,e0 that the interrupt e))ect )rom emai/s is more than might be be/ieve0+ 8mp/oyees at the company stu0ie0 a//o,e0 themse/ves to be interrupte0 a/most as )reAuent/y every $ minutes" as ,ith te/ephone ca//s+ The common reaction to the arriva/ o) an emai/ is not to 0e/ay the response to a time that is more convenient to the user but to react ,ithin * secon0s, again a/most as Auick/y

as they ,ou/0 respon0 to te/ephone ca//s+ This means the interrupt e))ect is comparab/e ,ith that o) a te/ephone ca//+ The recovery time )rom an emai/ interruption is, at *4 secon0s, signi)icant/y /ess than some pub/ishe0 recovery times )or te/ephone ca//s+ There)ore ,hi/e emai/ is sti// /ess 0isruptive than the te/ephone, the ,ay the ma-ority o) users han0/e their incoming emai/ has been sho,n to cause )ar more interruption than eDpecte0+ The authors are current/y un0ertaken research into instant messaging an0 the initia/ resu/ts sho, that emp/oyees react to an instant messaging reAuest )aster than to a ne, emai/+ These initia/ )in0ings in0icate that emp/oyees are increasing/y being interrupte0 by e/ectronic messaging ,hich can a))ect the Aua/ity o) ,ork, emp/oyee pro0uctivity an0 more important/y cause message )atigue5&47+ ;rme0 ,ith this in)ormation there is a c/ear nee0 )or organisations to change the communication practices )or the ma-ority o) their emp/oyees to avoi0 the negative e))ects o) e/ectronic communication+ 9rom this research, recommen0e0 gui0e/ines ,ere )orme0 to he/p emp/oyers regain emp/oyee e))ectiveness in e/ectronic messaging+ ; summary o) the gui0e/ines are: =e0uce the prominence o) interruptions through turning o)) the ne, emai/ a/ert 0ia/ogue boD, emai/ soun0 a/erts an0 pop6up instant messaging 0ia/ogue boDes+ =estrict the use o) emai/6to6a// messages, an0 in particu/ar rep/y6to6a// messages+ The use o) more targete0 emai/ user groups may assist in this respect+ Set up the emai/ app/ication to 0isp/ay in the inboD the sen0er, the sub-ect an0 three /ines o) the emai/, so that the recipient can Auick/y 0etermine i) the emai/ reAuires imme0iate attention+ Set up the emai/ app/ication to check )or incoming emai/ /ess )reAuent/y+ 9or eDamp/e, many peop/e )in0 they can bene)it )rom a break in concentration a)ter 4$ minutes so the emai/ app/ication shou/0 be set to check )or incoming mai/ at interva/s o) no /ess than every 4$ minutes+ 3ntro0uce training to a// sta)) on ho, to use the )unctions ,ithin the e/ectronic messaging app/ication, such as setting message priority, emai/ housekeeping ,ith message ru/es, e))ective use o) user groups an0 a00ress books, an0 constructing better structure0 messages+

2# B%I1 IN- THE NE3T -ENER)TI$N $* E1E&TR$NI& ME00)-IN- )((1I&)TI$N0

There have been many reports in the recent years that have high/ighte0 concerns ,ith the amount o) emai/ an0 instant messages receive0 an0 the prob/ems organisations )ace in the )uture+ 8mp/oyees not on/y have to 0ea/ ,ith many emai/s an0 instant messages a 0ay )rom )e//o, co6,orkers but they a/so have to manage un,ante0 emai/, spam+ Iear/y #$ percent o) emai/s receive0 each 0ay by US )irms contain spam, accor0ing to a ne, survey )rom the emai/ security company+ Go,ever, an inabi/ity to 0e)ine ,hat constitutes spam is causing companies prob/ems, the stu0y )oun0+ ;roun0 three6Auarters o) respon0ents in the US pre0ict that spam ,i// be a bigger prob/em in the year ahea0, ,hi/e -ust one thir0 o) respon0ents sai0 that unso/icite0 emai/ ,asn:t troub/esome at present+ Go,ever, $' percent o) companies sai0 they 0i0n:t ,ant to get ri0 o) spam a/together but nee0e0 a ,ay to )i/ter re/evant emai/s )rom unso/icite0 ones5&&7+

The emai/s an0 instant messages that an emp/oyee can receive can range )rom high/y important business messages to spam+ ;t present, regar0/ess o) the content o) the e/ectronic message, emp/oyees are sti// interrupte0 ,hich can e))ect the Aua/ity o) ,ork an0 pro0uctivity+ To improve emp/oyee e))iciency ,ithin the o))ice there is a nee0 to re0uce the amount o) 0istractions an0 ,hen possib/e e/iminate 0istractions unti/ times o) convenience+ To achieve this, emp/oyers cou/0 set emp/oyee:s e/ectronic message app/ications to check )or messages every 4$ minutes or so, but o) course emp/oyee:s can overri0e this, 0e)eating the ob-ective+ Go,ever, more important/y )or the more cautious users ,ho ,ant overri0e the system in p/ace, business messages might not be 0e/ivere0 in time )or necessary an0 appropriate action+ To so/ve these prob/ems the neDt generation o) e/ectronic message app/ications nee0 to be more sophisticate0+ =esearch being un0ertaken by the authors is attempting to a00ress these nee0s through constructing an 3nte//igent 8mai/ C/assi)ication an0 Ioti)ication 1anagement System using Lattern =ecognition 381S" as sho,n in 9igure &, that ,i// 0etermine the importance o) an emai/ an0 ,hen the emai/ message shou/0 be 0e/ivere0 to increase emp/oyee e))ectiveness an0 e))iciency+

9igure & 6 Lropose0 System ;rchitecture )or the Intelligent Email C/assi)ication an0 Ioti)ication Management 0ystem using Lattern =ecognition 381S"

The authors hope that the 381S ,i// be 0eve/ope0 )urther to incorporate instant messaging+ The system ,i// then be ab/e to manage a// e/ectronic messages an0 ,i// enab/e each emp/oyee to ,ork more e))ective/y+ This ne, research is crucia/ to any organisation that interacts ,ith e/ectronic messages to ensure the )uture surviva/ o) these app/ications, ,hich are un0oubte0/y )un0amenta/ to business, but cou/0 become /ess so i) not manage0 correct/y+

4#

0%MM)R5

This research has sho,n the va/ue o) measuring communication processes+ The ana/ysis o) e/ectronic messaging has enab/e0 the e))ect on emp/oyee time to be Auanti)ie0 an0 has given some surprising resu/ts+ This has /e0 to a series o) recommen0ations that ,i// enab/e organisations to make better use o) emai/ communication an0 increase emp/oyee e))ectiveness+ The research has a/so high/ighte0 the nee0 )or organisations to invest in improving their management o) e/ectronic messaging systems i) they are to have e))ective an0 e))icient emp/oyees+ 9uture 0eve/opment to e/ectronic messaging app/ications reAuires more emphasis on inte//igent agents to ai0 emp/oyees in managing their e/ectronic messages+ 2ithout these )uture 0eve/opments, e/ectronic messaging ,i// become much /ess e))ective an0 may 0eter emp/oyees )rom using such systems, ,hich in6turn cou/0 /ea0 to a poor communications ,ithin the organisation+

BIB1I$-R)(H5
#+ 1ackay 2+ #%%'+ >1ore than -ust a communication system: Diversity in the use o) e/ectronic mai/+? Lp+ (446($( in Computer6Supporte0 Cooperative 2ork+ Ie, Eork: ;C1+ &+ 2hittaker S+, an0 Si0ner C+ #%%*a+ >8mai/ Fver/oa0: 8Dp/oring Lersona/ 3n)ormation+ (+ 2hittaker S+, an0 Si0ner C+ #%%*b+ >8mai/ over/oa0: eDp/oring persona/ in)ormation management o) emai/+? in CH !"# Conference $roceedings+ Coston, 1;+ 4+ Ce//otti M+, an0 Smith 3an+ &!!!+ >3n)orming the Design o) an 3n)ormation 1anagement System ,ith 3terative 9ie/0,ork+? Lp+ &&<6&(< in ;C1 Con)erence on Designing 3nteractive Systems D3S", $+ Iua 3nternet+ &!!&a+ >Fn6Line Demographics+? http:NN,,,+nua+comNsurveysNho,OmanyOon/ineN europe+htm/ *+ 1aho,a/0 =obert L+, Levitt 1ark+ &!!& P2or/0,i0e 1essaging ;pp/ications 9orecast an0 ;na/ysis, &!!&6&!!*: 4etting the 1essage FutP, http:NN,,,+i0c+comNget0oc+-htm/H container30Q&<<4$ <+ Davi0son, Lau/ P3nstant messaging: ; po,er)u/ business too/P, US; TFD;E, #!N&(N!!, http:NN,,,+usato0ay+comN/i)eNcyberNtechNrevie,Ncrh*4(+htm '+ Gar0y, 3an, P1essaging in an instantP, CCC Ie,s Fn/ine, http:NNne,s+bbc+co+ukN#NhiNsciNtechN#$(###&+stm, Sun0ay, % September, &!!# %+ CCC Ie,s Fn/ine, PEahoo enhances instant messagesP, http:NNne,s+bbc+co+ukN#NhiNentertainmentNne,Ome0iaN#*#(&&#+stm, 1on0ay, && Fctober, &!!# #!+ 9ie/0en+ #%'!+ H%& 1arch:&'+ ##+ Co,man 4ar0a+ #%*4+ >2hat he/ps or harms promotabi/ityH? Harvard %usiness &eview January69ebruary:#4+ #&+ 9raRee M+ #%%*+ >3s e6mai/ 0oing more harm than goo0H? $ersonnel 'ournal 1ay+ #(+ IantR K+S+, an0 DreDe/ C+L+ #%%$+ >3ncorporating e/ectronic mai/ into the business communication course+? %usiness Communication (uarterly $':4$6$#+ #4+ Davenport T+G+ #%%<+ nformation )cology+ Ie, Eork: FD)or0 University Lress+ #$+ #*+ Fvsiankina 1+ #%&'+ >Die ,i0erau)nahme unterbrochener Gan0/ungen+? $sychologische *orschung ##:(!&6(<%+ #<+ 1an0/er 4+ #%'4a+ +ind and %ody+ Ie, Eork: 2+2+ Iorton J Company+ #'+ 1an0/er 4+ #%'4b+ +ind and )motion+ Ie, Eork: John 2i/ey J Sons, 3nc+ #%+ Criner =+C+ #%%$+ >Ceyon0 stress an0 satis)action: un0erstan0ing an0 managing emotions at ,ork+? + un pub &!+ Lekrun =+, an0 9rese 1+ #%%&+ 8motions in ,ork an0 achievement+ Chichester: John 2i/ey+ &#+ So/ingen =+, Cerghout 8+, an0 Latum 9+ SeptemberNFctober #%%'+ >3nterrupts: Just a 1inute Iever 3s+? 3888 So)t,are #$:%< 6 #!(+ &&+ Jackson T+2+, Da,son =+, an0 2i/son D+ &!!#+ >The Cost o) 8mai/ 3nterruption+? The Journa/ o) Systems J 3n)ormation Techno/ogy $:'#6%&+ &(+ De1arco T+, an0 Lister T+ #%%%+ Leop/e,are+ Lro0uctive Lro-ects an0 Teams &n0 80+ Ie, Eork: Dorset Gouse Lub/ishing Company+ &4+ Si-/stra 9re0 =+G+, =oe =obert ;+, Leonora ;nna C+, Kre0iet 3rene+ #%%%+ >Tempora/ )actors in menta/ ,ork: 8))ects on interrupt activities+? Journa/ o) Fccupationa/ an0 FrganiRationa/ Lsycho/ogy <&:#*(6#'$+