Is an endless stream of e-mails, text messages and mobile calls leaving you
annoyed and busier than ever? Well you’re not alone, according to new research
from the University of Surrey, which confirms what we already knew.
The research, led by the Digital World Research Centre, with fieldwork by
the University’s Surrey Social and Market Research team, found technology is
causing stress, anger and distraction among office workers
Commissioned by Siemens Communications, the research aimed to identify
whether new technology had changed patterns of acceptable business etiquette.
However, it also uncovered an underlying resentment of communication
intrusion and the advent of the SAD (stressed, angry and distracted) worker.
The research shows that office workers become frustrated, stressed and
annoyed when they can’t reach somebody; and yet resent distractions caused by
intrusive communications to their own or their colleagues’ meetings and work.
Commenting on the findings, Professor Michael Warren, from the University of
Surrey, said: "I’m afraid the research shows that we all want to have our
cake and eat it.
"We become stressed and impatient when we can’t reach someone, and we
expect instant responses. And yet we become annoyed when our own meetings or
discussions are interrupted by a mobile phone, for example," he said.
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By Quentin Reade
GOTO www.siemenscomms.co.uk/businessetiquette
for Siemens’ eight simple rules to modern business communications etiquette
