Companies losing over €3m per year on searching for documents

IRISH businesses are losing approximately €3.3 billion each year based on staff wasting time looking for and exchanging documents, according to findings of a survey via Park West firm Auxilion.

The research, commissioned by digital solutions provider Auxilion and involving more than 500 Irish office workers, also found that more than a fifth of respondents don’t feel their input is as valuable online, as it is in person.

Conducted by Censuswide, the research revealed difficulty gaining access to or finding work files and systems to be the third biggest blocker in terms of effective collaboration with colleagues, as a quarter of office workers cited it.

The biggest blocker is not being able to talk in person (44 per cent), followed by people not being as available as before (30 per cent).

Meanwhile, 22 per cent of workers said security concerns using communication tools is a main blocker to collaboration with colleagues.

Virtual meetings are taking, on average, around 62 minutes per day for staff members.

This is unlikely to ease in the future with three-quarters of respondents (75 per cent) believing their organisation will continue to use virtual applications when restrictions ease.

The study also found that 41 per cent of workers have had a family member or partner accidentally appear on camera during a work meeting, while a pet made an appearance for a third.

A similar proportion (35 per cent) of workers have done a virtual work meeting in their pyjamas, with more than a quarter joining one while in bed. Some 26 per cent have lied that their wi-fi crashed to get out of a meeting.

The most annoying virtual meeting habits are forgetting to go on mute, joining the meeting late and eating on camera.

The worst time of the week for a virtual meeting is Friday afternoon (36 per cent), followed closely by Monday morning (35 per cent).

In terms of the most popular collaboration tool, Microsoft Teams is the platform of choice for 59 per cent of respondents, however a majority have not been fully trained in its application.

Donal Sullivan, CTO, Auxilion, said: “There is absolutely no reason Irish workers should be losing so much time out of their day trying to find files and work with colleagues – and that’s not to mention the €3.3 billion it’s costing businesses. The tools are already out there to enable people to collaborate in real-time, access files securely and swiftly, and realise the benefits offered by remote or hybrid working.

“Of course, staff also need to know how to use these tools effectively so there is an educational piece that companies need to address. But if they do embrace this type of digital thinking, backed up by the best technologies and the right strategies, it will not only empower workers but boost business output and support company growth both now and in the future – whatever, and wherever, their future workplace is.”