71% of Employees Say Poor Digital Organization Interferes With Their Ability To Work Effectively
About 30% of Gen Z and 23% of Millennial employees considered quitting due to the company’s poor digital organization.
- Gone are the days when companies used large cabinets to store files and documents. More companies are switching to digital systems due to their advantages.
- However, disorganization is still common in digital systems, affecting businesses and employees.
- Here are a few findings from Adobe Acrobat’s recent study on how disorganization affects employees and the importance of digital organization and hygiene.
There was a time when companies used large cabinets to store documents and files. With rapid digitization, it has become necessary for companies to focus more on organized digital systems, as it allows storing and retrieving information in a streamlined manner. It also provides employees with the resources and tools they need at their fingertips.
However, disorganization can also occur in digital systems, affecting business operations and employees. Adobe Acrobat recently conducted a survey to identify the importance of digital organization and hygiene and how disorganization affects employees. Here are a few findings from the study and a few tips to improve digital organization.
Employees Can’t Navigate the Company’s Digital Organization System
Poor document hygiene comes with a host of challenges for employees and businesses. For example, 48% of respondents said difficulty in finding specific documents was a top challenge, while 39% said employees not following organizational protocol was a top challenge. About 37% said inconsistent naming conventions were a top issue, while 36% said the inability to remember where documents were was a top problem. Further, 34% found duplicated documents, and 22% found integrating documents across multiple platforms a top issue.

Key challenges employees face with digital disorganization
Source: Adobe Acrobat Study
About 47% of respondents said their digital organization method was ineffective and difficult to navigate. As such, it is necessary to have proper organizational processes and systems to improve employee experience and efficiency. Further, it is crucial to depend on tools to make digital organization seamless.
See more: Troubleshooting the Digital Workspace to Improve Employee Experience
Digital Disorganization Interferes With Employees’ Ability To Work Effectively
Dealing with digital disorganization negatively impacts employees’ work performance. In fact, 71% of respondents said poor digital organization interferes with their ability to work effectively. About 64% of respondents also said they had to recreate a document due to being unable to find it. Further, 10% spent over four hours a week searching for digital documents. A whopping 95% felt frustrated when searching for a document. About 47% said their company’s digital organization system is littered with irrelevant or outdated documents, making searching for relevant documents frustrating.
Here is how digital disorganization, according to respondents, affects them.
About 20% of employees considered quitting due to the company’s poor digital organization. The percentage increased to 30% among Gen Z employees and 23% among Millennials. These stats show employee frustrations with digital disorganization can affect satisfaction and turnover.
If employees feel frustrated with digital disorganization, the company should consider using a document management system to alleviate organizational burdens.
Very Few Companies Conduct Digital Cleanups
One solution to address digital disorganization is to conduct regular digital cleanups, ensuring documents are organized and filed properly. However, 27% of respondents said their companies never conduct digital cleanups, while 35% said it is done irregularly. Further, 42% reported conducting cleanups due to a shortage of storage space, and 35% cited performing cleanups due to performance issues on the system.
It was also seen that employees of small businesses were most likely to say their companies did not perform regular digital cleanups.
Regardless of the reason, it is suggested that companies conduct regular digital cleanups to maintain an efficient and effective workflow.
Digital Hygiene Is Essential for Employee Satisfaction and Efficiency
Digital organization is essential for the modern workspace. A well-organized digital system helps employees to store, retrieve, and share information efficiently, saving time and reducing frustration. It also improves productivity and facilitates efficient decision-making. Ultimately, it streamlines workflows, empowers employees, and allows companies to thrive in today’s fast-changing tech-driven business world.
The following are a few tips to improve digital organization:
- Implement a robust document management system to centralize and organize digital documents.
- Create a logical and clear folder structure within the document management system. Further, ensure all documents are categorized properly, labeled, and easily accessible to authorized users.
- Establish version control processes to track any changes made to the documents.
- Implement robust access controls and permissions to limit document access to only authorized users.
- Provide proper training to users on effectively using digital organizational tools.
- Regularly review and update SOPs to reflect technology, processes, and regulations changes.
Have the right tools while at work to improve the efficiency of the business. Implementing the right tools across the organization can ensure employees can easily make the necessary changes to the documents, helping overall document management and organization.
What steps have you taken to eliminate digital disorganization and improve digital hygiene in your company? Tell us on LinkedIn, X, or Facebook. We’d love to hear from you!
Image source: Shutterstock
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