Write back. Devices in the workplace disturb people every fifteen minutes

A new survey from Unily highlights the negative impact of digital notifications on well-being and productivity. Most employees and managers surveyed agree that companies are not effectively addressing digital noise – the way apps and devices constantly interrupt people. According to the Digital Noise Impact Report (registration), nearly half of all employees are distracted at least once every 30 minutes, and almost one in three report being distracted at least once every 15 minutes by a workplace notification. This means that employees working 8-hour days may experience over 160 distractions from digital workplace tools every week.

Nearly six in 10 workers say digital tools increase workplace stress, with video conferencing systems (44 percent), email platforms (39 percent) and instant messaging apps (36 percent) contributing the most.

Additionally, employees and managers do not feel that their companies are addressing the growing problem of digital noise in the workplace. Nearly half of managers and almost two in five employees believe that companies do not implement enough processes to counter the impact of digital noise, suggesting that management is not taking the problem seriously enough.

Chris Ciauri, CEO of Unily, said: “Our report provides sobering conclusions about the impact of digital noise in today’s workplace, causing organizational lethargy and poor employee experiences. At the same time, we see some of the world’s largest and most complex organizations seizing the opportunity to improve workplace engagement, and the data shows the key role that a simplified digital landscape and thoughtful use of AI can play in reducing operational friction and increasing efficiency.

While many apps offer basic notification on/off switches, complete blackout may not be the solution. Nearly three in five (58 percent) believe notifications can make them feel productive and informed.

The problem is that digital notifications interrupt workers mid-task, straining their time and attention. This can make it more difficult for them to handle context switching, fragmenting attention between tasks, applications, and screens. Unily data shows that two-thirds (67 percent) want more control over when and where they receive notifications, highlighting the need for a smarter solution than a simple mute button.

Managers also seem to bear the brunt of these disruptions. More than 59 percent said they were distracted by digital noise every 30 minutes or less, compared to 48 percent of all respondents, and 39 percent said they were distracted by digital noise every 15 minutes or less, compared to 31 percent of all respondents.