October 11, 2024 from HRD Canada
A new report from Wrike, titled the 2024 Impactful Work Report, reveals that unnecessary tasks are costing organizations an average of $15,138 per employee each year. This substantial loss is due to time spent on low-impact and redundant work, which, according to the report, consumes nearly a third of the average employee’s workweek.
Time-Wasting Tasks: Where Are Employees Losing Productivity?
According to the report, employees spend 11.24 hours per week on unnecessary work, or about 30% of their workweek. Key time-wasters include:
- Searching for information across multiple systems – 2.4 hours per week
- Finding and sending information to colleagues – 1.4 hours
- Chasing colleagues for status updates and approvals – 1.5 hours
- Correcting or redoing work due to miscommunication – 1.1 hours
- Repeating lost or untracked work – 1 hour
- Duplicating tasks already completed by others – 1 hour
- Redoing work due to inability to demonstrate completion – 0.9 hours
These inefficiencies lead to lost time and productivity, and Wrike notes that the $15,138 figure does not even include time spent on low-impact work—tasks necessary for operations but not directly tied to organizational goals. Such tasks make up 46% of employees’ activities, consuming an additional 18.4 hours per week.
Low-Impact Work: The Challenge for Business Leaders
Business leaders face similar productivity challenges. The report reveals that only 57% of business decision-makers’ work is considered high-impact, with the rest spent on tasks like:
- Attending meetings
- Assigning tasks and gathering action updates
- Providing status updates to teams
These activities equate to $7,016.82 in lost productivity per business leader annually—and this estimate doesn’t include time spent setting up projects or managing low-impact work.
The Paradox of Increased Workloads
Wrike’s report highlights a growing issue: although workloads have increased, productivity has not. Knowledge workers report a 31% increase in workload over the past year, while business leaders report an even greater increase of 46% for their teams. However, only 54% of the work completed by knowledge workers is classified as high-impact.
“Knowledge workers are doing more but achieving less,” Wrike’s report states, adding that the proliferation of workplace applications may be a contributing factor. Despite intentions to streamline processes, adding more tools has often increased workloads rather than reducing them.
AI and Automation: Untapped Potential
Efficiency measures like artificial intelligence (AI) have been widely adopted, but Wrike’s findings suggest they are not yet delivering their full potential. While business leaders believe AI supports 32% of their workload, knowledge workers report that AI contributes to only 14% of their tasks. This discrepancy indicates that AI and automation tools may not yet be fully integrated into daily workflows for most employees.
Moving Forward: Prioritizing Impactful Work
According to Thomas Scott, CEO of Wrike, the findings underscore the need for organizations to prioritize high-impact work, reduce unnecessary tasks, and adopt automation where possible. “Organizations that take decisive action to prioritize impactful work, consolidate tools, and embrace automation will not only see increased efficiency but also happier, more engaged employees,” Scott said in a statement.
To address these challenges, Wrike’s report suggests that businesses focus on:
- Aligning on organizational goals to reduce time spent on unnecessary tasks
- Consolidating tools and systems to improve accessibility and reduce time spent searching for information
- Automating low-impact tasks to free up time for high-impact work
With a strategic approach to these issues, organizations can improve productivity, reduce costs, and support a more satisfying work environment.
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