CORPORATE executives are steadily turning their employees into idiots by insisting that they reply to email messages within minutes of receiving them. As this expectation spreads among managers, so does the inefficiency of distracted employees, which cuts profits, increases stress and (according to the latest studies) even reduces one’s IQ. What’s amazing is that they are doing so unintentionally, in an attempt to get more done through fellow staff members.

It starts innocently enough, with the gift of a corporate Blackberry. An entire department that has performed above expectations is granted the right to generous individual data plans. Other employees are envious. The turning point occurs when an executive who is under pressure to get some important information sends an urgent email to someone in the department. The unfortunate person take too long to reply, and a nasty call is made to his/her manager, who sets off a mad scramble. In the tense conversation that follows the manager makes it clear to the employee that the executive “is not happy” and asks “whether or not the person has a Blackberry.” “In future,” the employee is instructed, “you need to have better time management skills, greater productivity, and need to learn to ‘be responsive.’”

The news flashes around the department like wildfire. “So and so got in trouble by not responding immediately!” The lesson is learned; they each must check their email Inboxes every few minutes to prevent an urgent message from being overlooked.

After a few near scrapes on nights, mornings and weekends, the unintended message is reinforced. When executives start to reward instant responses with kudos, there’s no turning back.

Unfortunately, this apparent gain comes at a tremendous cost that few are able to assess correctly.

Cost #1: Longer Meetings 
“Responsive” employees have longer meetings, and it’s not because the volume of work has increased. Instead, employees spend more time monitoring the flow of email, and less time on the discussion in the meeting. As they over-estimate their ability to multi-task, they waste half the meeting-time checking email, and at any moment, only a third of the attendees are actually paying complete attention. This collective practice adds up, resulting in meetings that take more time, move more slowly and frustrate attendees who start a chorus of complaints; they have too many meetings.

Cost #2: Unhygienic Practices
Eighty percent of smartphone users admit to accessing the Internet while using the bathroom, and some 40 percent of cellphones are found to have traces of faecal matter. Even in the face of these findings, employees are still found to engage in the unhealthy multi-tasking that comes from desperate attempts to be more productive.

After all, it’s one way to be “more responsive,” even though it may cost the odd sick day.

Cost #3: Rudeness 
“Don’t worry, I’m listening.” This phrase has become a habitual one for the unrepentant multi-tasker who claims to be able to send, read and process email in the middle of a face-to-face conversation.

We, their discussion partners, know better, and notice the very moment we start to lose their attention.

We compensate by repeating ourselves, and trying harder to keep them engaged, which takes extra time and effort on our part.

We hate it.

Cost #4: Danger 
Trinidad is one of the few countries in the region that has banned the worst of the smartphone practices; driving while texting. The dangers are obvious, but what’s not often addressed is the fear of not being seen as a good employee — that is what has caused many to risk life and limb to check email.

Cost #5: A Drop in Productivity 
When an entire department of employees is forced to become email slaves, the effect on their productivity is enormous. Only a single email in several hundred is actually urgent, and the practice of continuous email skimming merely serves to take their attention away from the work they should be doing. Openly rewarding this practice makes it worse, causing email volumes to increase.

In the rare company, the head of HR intervenes and argues for policies to protect employee productivity and work-balance, but in most cases nothing is said. Some examples of modern policies include:

— routing urgent communication away from unreliable channels like email, and using phone calls or in-person meetings instead.

— setting clear expectations about email responsiveness.

— teaching employees to process email in batches rather than in a continuous feed.

It might take time for executives to give up the ineffective and unproductive practices they have learned, but it’s never too late to prevent a bottom-line impact by not turning their employees into idiots.

columns@fwconsulting.com

Francis Wade, President of Framework Consulting:

This article was originally published at http://www.newsday.co.tt/businessday/0,167163.html