One might assume that pinpointing the sources of Information
Overload is relatively black and white, i.e. it’s just too much e-mail.
In reality, nothing could be farther from the truth.
The problem of Information Overload is multifaceted and impacts each
and every organization whether top executives and managers are aware of
it or not. In addition to e-mail, Information Overload stems from the
proliferation of content, growing use of social networking tools,
unnecessary interruptions in the workplace, failed searches, new
technologies that compete for the worker’s attention, and improved and
ubiquitous connectivity (making workers available anytime regardless of
their location). Information Overload is harmful to employees in a
variety of ways as it lowers comprehension and concentration levels and
adversely impacts work-life balance. Since almost no one is immune
from the effects of this problem, when one looks at it from an
organizational point-of-view, hundreds of thousands of hours are lost
at a typical organization, representing as much as 25% of the work day.
So what else besides e-mail overload is at issue here? Here’s a quick rundown... [
More]From: Jonathan B. Spira, CEO and Chief Analyst at
Basex.