Minimizing the Use of Emails in the Workplace

Minimizing the Use of Emails in the Workplace

Studies have shown that the use of email is every day in the workplace in the twenty-first century. Reviews of scholarly literature on communication have shown two primary issues: the effect of using email in an organization, and overloading email as a communication medium in an organization.

Effects of Using Email in an Organization

According to Mark et al. (2013), emails cause significant interruptions among employees. It is argued that disruptions caused by email communication in an organization stop many workers from completing their responsibilities in time. Research shows that many employees in an organization often log in to check whether they have received emails, thus consuming their duty period. Furthermore, the study revealed that in a day, employees could work less than half the period they should take reviewing their images and responding to senders, managers, or supervisors (Mark et al., 2013). Further, the study asserted that email communication in the organization affected young employees than adult works. Also, the research revealed that many messages that employees received were not relevant to many workers. They were messages that were meant for other companies and managers within the organization.

Jackson, Dawson & Wilson argue that it is crucial to reduce email communication among employs and launch other communication methods such as face to face talks or phone calls (Jackson, Dawson & Wilson, n.d). They further asserted that even though email communication is faster, it interferes with the organization’s operations, especially to employees (Jackson, Dawson & Wilson, n.d). Research has also shown that email communication does not allow supervisors to understand what employees are experiencing.  Notably, it creates laziness or ignorance among employees because an employee might receive an email and ignore it; yet, it could be an emergency from the supervisor; thus, interfering with the organization’s plans. Researchers articulate that exploring other forms of communication will be helpful in case emails fail to work.

According to research conducted by Shipilov & Crawford (2015), email harms employees, for example, a company did a study and found out that their employees were not performing because of the many emails they received. The company had more than 80,000 employees (Shipilov & Crawford, 2015). According to the CEO, workers who needed promotions and graduates who needed employments flocked the company’s email with their curriculum vitae. To stop the issue, the CEO gathered a group of IT professionals to do an investigation of whether reducing email communication will assist the company in improving performance. Shipilov & Crawford (2015), assert that the IT professionals suggested that email use should be reduced in the company to ensure efficient work. Research reveals that when email communication was reduced, workflow increased, and the company’s production increased. Besides, the CEO acknowledged that reducing the use of email communication is significant for companies.

Overloading Email as a Communication Medium

McMurtry (2014) believes that organizations are over depending on emails as a means of communication, which requires them to resolve to other means of communication. According to McMurtry’s findings, email overload is a challenge to organizations in the 21^st century. Studies also assert that email overload is caused by a constant overflow of messages, which is causing stress to both employers and employees (Grevet, 2014). Supervisors and managers find it challenging to manage several emails they receive in the organization. They have to frequently check their inbox for new emails needing attention and reply. According to research, it is a means of communication that has overtaken other means of communication in companies. Many researchers suggest that in the workplace, individuals should not spend much time viewing their emails but concentrate on their work (Grevet, 2014). Besides, in an organization, there is a need for using different forms of communication.

Similarly, it has been discovered that there is an inappropriate use of emails in the workplace. Studies show that the misuse of email software lowers communication in organizations, leading to the inability to arrange the inbox. Individuals misusing the software often misplace essential messages from their supervisors or employers, mainly in large institutions where email is the primary source of communication. Literature sources are proposing that the use of email as a means of communication has created a lot of overloads; therefore, there is a need for exploring other methods.

Research in the area of email communication also identified hacking as a barrier to communication, suggesting for companies to minimize the use of emails. Gupta et al. (2017), articulate that internet security has been a problem that is experienced by many people. They assert that phishing is a problem that has been caused by hackers. The challenge has placed the use of emails at risk because it is easy for hackers to have access to the software and view conversation, which does not belong. Researchers explain that the problem of hacking is experienced in America and across the globe (Beale & Berris, 2017). Email information does not have privacy because of the hacking threats that are experienced in many countries. That places the company at risk of losing valuable information, including personal data. Primarily, hacking creates a virus into the software, which can cause either damage to the computer or a phone used to view the information.

Conclusion

The literature on reducing email communication in the workplace shows that employees who frequently use emails are likely to underperform. They spend more time using their gadgets instead of completing their responsibilities. It was also found that using emails have specific risks, which can be a challenge to the organization. However, analysis also shows that the use of email in an organization by both supervisors and workers causes stress. The bulk information received through the email gives people anxiety; thus, reducing the level of individual concentration. Besides, many people are bound to miss important details because they confuse arrangements in their email inbox. Information can as well be lost as a result of phishing, which email users may not have an idea of whether they received messages or not; thus, many results suggest reduced email communication in the workplace and replacing it with other forms of communication.