New research has revealed that managers in Europe spend a minimum of two hours a day sending and dealing with e-mails - the equivalent to 10 years over a lifetime.
The study by headset provider Plantronics also found that 32% of e-mails are actually irrelevant to the company; just 10% of e-mails sent are considered to be of any use by 43% of the managers surveyed.
It also discovered that sending one e-mail usually results in the receipt of four to six extra messages. The firm said bosses should consider using the phone wherever possible in order to save time, as well as refraining from hitting "reply to all", when just replying to the sender will suffice.
"Our research proves that e-mail use is out of control, often causing confusion and inertia. It also paints a bleak picture of silent offices, where colleagues e-mail rather than talk face-to-face," commented Peter Thomson, director of the Future Work Forum at Henley Management College, which conducted the research on Plantronics' behalf.
Recent research from e-mail management consultancy Mesmo found that managers who are in the habit of sharing their inboxes with their personal assistants (PAs) could be jeopardising the security of their e-mails, as 82% of PAs read sensitive messages by accident.
"These findings reinforce the misappropriation of time driven by an excess of technology. Recognition of reality on this subject should lead organisations to educate the work force on the impacts of 'mail glut' on the organisation," says Richard Fearon of South African-based business and communications strategists, Cameo Group. "Those organisations that grasp the nettle and effectively manage this growing problem will become more competitive," added Fearon.
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