Workers are struggling to cope with a “seemingly infinite workday,” involving an increasing load of meetings scheduled at 8 p.m. or later and a near-constant stream of interruptions, according to new research by Microsoft.
The company analyzed data from users of Microsoft 365 services — which include Outlook and PowerPoint — globally between mid-January and mid-February. It found that the number of meetings booked between 8 p.m. and just before midnight had risen 16% compared with last year. Geographically dispersed teams, as well as those with flexible working arrangements, were responsible for much of that increase.
“The infinite workday… starts early, mostly in email, and quickly swells to a focus-sapping flood of messages, meetings, and interruptions,” Microsoft said in a report Tuesday.
‘Impossible to keep up’
One outcome is that one-third of workers feel it has been “impossible to keep up” with the pace of work over the past five years, according to a Microsoft-commissioned survey of 31,000 employees around the world, cited in the Tuesday report.
Artificial intelligence could help lighten the load for workers, according to Microsoft. The technology can help carry out “low-value” administrative tasks, it said, freeing up time for people to work on what truly benefits the organization.
However, the rise of AI has fueled anxiety about the technology’s potential to oust human workers from their jobs. According to a survey by the World Economic Forum, published in January, 41% of employers intend to downsize their workforce as AI automates certain tasks.
