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Paradox of productivity: Too many apps, too little time

Companies in Malaysia are under immense pressure to maintain a competitive edge.

One popular approach is to improve productivity by adopting digital tools that promise simplified processes and increased efficiency.

The proliferation of apps promising productivity gains has an unintended consequence — employees are inundated with tools.

The overabundance has made it challenging for workers to use them all effectively. The result is confusion and lost productivity: the exact opposite of what these apps promised.

Employees in Malaysia, like others, are facing the undue burden and associated stress of dealing with a technological overload.

Research shows a majority of workers report moving back and forth between apps more than 10 times per hour. Over the course of a year, that can amount to more than 30 workdays of wasted productivity.

A typical worker on a typical day might manage client emails through Gmail or Outlook, conduct team meetings on Zoom or Teams, and then switch over to workforce management software like Hubstaff or Toggl, all before the morning coffee break.

Findings also indicate a broad consensus among employees on how excess apps hinder efficiency and communication. Messages and actionable items are often overlooked while avoidable errors pile up.

This rising error rate costs organisations time and resources. Every modern office worker has stories of hours wasted rectifying preventable mistakes.

The downstream consequences can be dire, starting with increased digital fatigue, then leading to low motivation, burnout and eventually a rise in turnover.

The root cause of this issue is different departments within companies independently selecting their own tools without ensuring interdepartmental compatibility.

The ensuing bottlenecks and confusion become major obstacles to effective information-sharing and collaboration, impeding the company's unity, growth and success.

Even though each individual app is designed to enhance a specific aspect of a business, their combined impact on productivity doesn't amount to the sum of its parts.

This cost-benefit issue becomes especially problematic when considering the costs of juggling multiple subscriptions to digital platforms.

Increasing fees, coupled with poor cost-performance ratios and the mounting expenses of incorporating new technology, make app overload hard to justify.

Companies must carefully consider digital fatigue when evaluating whether a new digital purchase fits within their goals and budget.

To taper this business app onslaught, developers have been working on a solution: employee-centric, DIY-style platforms.

This technology, known as no-code, offers a straightforward and easily implementable solution to the technological fragmentation so widespread in modern organisations.

Centralised no-code platforms encourage cross-departmental functionality by allowing employees with zero-coding experience to tailor parts of the same software platform to their specific needs.

With all vital data accessible in a central location, businesses can break down information silos and supercharge collaboration.

More transparent communication and information-sharing also leads to streamlined onboarding, better adaptability to external changes, greater scalability, and fewer mistakes.

The affordability and ease of these no-code platforms give them a competitive edge over traditional alternatives, positioning them as a highly attractive choice for enterprises aiming to rapidly enhance productivity.

The biggest remaining barrier to adoption of centralised no-code platforms is misplaced concerns about security. Worrying about how to handle confidential information is understandable.

However, it's imperative for companies to find an equilibrium between data protection and operational efficiency.

When businesses put every piece of data behind layers of security, employees spend more time peeling back those layers than they spend doing their

jobs.

By pivoting towards a more transparent method of communication, leaders display trust in their employees. Employees then respond with heightened engagement and loyalty.

This shift not only enhances team dynamics, but also contributes to a more collaborative workforce, which can do miracles for a company's bottom line.

The rise of centralised no-code platforms is swiftly capturing the attention of enterprises across the globe and transforming the contemporary work environment.

Imagine an entire workforce with a streamlined collaboration space, intelligent automation, and superior information-exchange capabilities. Under such conditions, excellence is close to guaranteed.

With global economic circumstances worsening in 2023, it is necessary for businesses to meticulously assess their technological arsenal.

Emphasis should be placed on centralisation and transparent communication. In doing so, organisations can fully leverage the prowess of their employees.

Let people work in the best possible conditions and they'll do their best work.


The writer is managing director of Kintone, Southeast Asia

The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times

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