E-Mail Overload - A Brief Primer

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Dr. Michael M. Einstein Copyright © 2014 – Dr. Michael M Einstein and www.emailoverloadsolutions.com – All Rights Reserved Content Courtesy of Dr. Michael Einstein from: www.emailoverloadsolutions.com

Transcript of E-Mail Overload - A Brief Primer

Page 1: E-Mail Overload - A Brief Primer

Dr. Michael M. Einstein

Copyright © 2014 – Dr. Michael M Einstein and www.emailoverloadsolutions.com – All Rights Reserved

Content Courtesy of Dr. Michael Einstein from: www.emailoverloadsolutions.com

Page 2: E-Mail Overload - A Brief Primer

E-mail has grown to become the dominant and preferred mode of business communication.

◦ Effective, efficient, fast, and accurate ◦ Supports virtualization and telecommuting

Used for many purposes beyond just messaging. ◦ Organizing information ◦ Scheduling events ◦ Contact management ◦ Virtual conversations ◦ Decision making ◦ Prioritizing ◦ Managing and delegating tasks

Has become worker’s primary “electronic habitat”.

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Copyright 2014- Dr. Michael M Einstein and www.emailoverloadsolutions - All Rights Reserved

Page 3: E-Mail Overload - A Brief Primer

Employees are spending larger and larger portions of their day processing e-mail. ◦ Many users receive 100 (or more) messages a day ◦ Consumes 2 to 3 hours a day on e-mail related activities.

There are negative impacts from the constant interruptions of processing high-volumes of e-mail. ◦ Results in professional and personal stress. ◦ Work becomes “fragmented”, resulting in lower productivity,

errors, omissions, and reduced decision making abilities.

Research has identified specific problem areas: ◦ “Filing” - moving messages to folders ◦ “Task management” - using e-mails for to-dos and reminders ◦ “Semi-structured messages” - Subject and content issues ◦ “Triage” - how to review and process inbox messages

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Copyright 2014- Dr. Michael M Einstein and www.emailoverloadsolutions - All Rights Reserved

Page 4: E-Mail Overload - A Brief Primer

Many e-mail processing issues can be addressed through existing features, functionality, and processing approaches, but most business user’s do not have the skills or knowledge on how to fully leverage e-mail to their maximum benefit.

When training exists, it is often limited to only specific features and skills, and omits the broader issues around improving information processing, media use, and e-mail triage capabilities.

Research has found that there is likely no single

effective e-mail processing strategy, so e-mail training needs to stress a diversity of skills and approaches to meet individual styles.

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Page 5: E-Mail Overload - A Brief Primer

Training should focus on improving specific e-mail skills, processing techniques and media competencies that prior research has identified as being especially problematic and yields the greatest benefit: ◦ E-Mail Skills: Specific e-mail features, functions, and processing approaches that improve

your ability to find, manage, and organize e-mail.

◦ Media Skills: When to use e-mail as a mode of communication vs. other types of

communication methods. How to structure e-mail subject lines and message text to be organized,

clear, and concise.

◦ E-Mail Triage Skills: Specific approaches and methodologies for efficiently reviewing and

processing both your new (incoming) and existing e-mail. How to layout your e-mail system to make your triage more effective.

Copyright 2014- Dr. Michael M Einstein and www.emailoverloadsolutions - All Rights Reserved

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Trained several groups of knowledge workers across multiple locations in a large corporation.

◦ A 25% improvement in e-mail system skills, media skills and e-mail triage skills of the participants, with some participants having even more significant improvement levels.

◦ A 10% to 20% reduction in e-mail overload level in only 45 days, with further improvements expected over time.

◦ Participants confirmed the value and benefits of implementing the features, skills, and techniques covered during the training.

◦ Even those that considered themselves “e-mail savvy” were surprised to learn about the existence of many of the features and techniques covered by the training.

◦ Participants “highly recommended” the course, with many commenting it should be mandatory training for everyone.

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Copyright 2014- Dr. Michael M Einstein and www.emailoverloadsolutions - All Rights Reserved

Page 7: E-Mail Overload - A Brief Primer

The issue isn’t (necessarily) e-mail itself. ◦ In fact, in many ways e-mail is a victim of its own success and

capabilities.

The largest needs are for teaching individuals and organizations how to use the “right type of media” for the “right types of situations” and investing the organizational resources in providing the support and training to help improve their knowledge, skills and fluency across all the available media types

For more details, please review the resources available on www.emailoverloadsolutions.com Copyright 2014- Dr. Michael M Einstein and www.emailoverloadsolutions - All Rights Reserved

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Copyright 2014- Dr. Michael M Einstein and www.emailoverloadsolutions - All Rights Reserved

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For ideas, information, and resources to help you learn to reduce your e-mail overload, please look out the site:

www.emailoverloadsolutions.com

References: Einstein, Michael. (April, 2014). "The Impact of a Targeted Training Program on E-Mail System Processing Capabilities and Self-Perception of E-Mail Overload." Doctoral Dissertation. Wilmington University.