Experts on email's productivity in the workplace and it's possible obsolescence

This picture has been used for representational purpose

Since their widespread adoption in the late 1990s, emails have become an almost indisputable part of our workdays. A 2019 study by Campaign Monitor found that a jaw-dropping 269 billion emails were sent and received every day in 2017, with the figure anticipated to grow to nearly 320 billion in 2021. According to author Cal Newport, the bulk of our email communication isn't just unnecessary but also an impediment to our workflow. In his new book, titled A World Without Email (Penguin Random House), he argues that email communication is an obsolete relic from a bygone era, especially when the digital world has gone on to make giant strides, not only in terms of technological advancements but also in our attitudes towards work.

The over-reliance on email has both technological and cultural roots, says Brajesh Bajpai. Representation pic

The case against email
Newport suggests that stretching out conversations into an endless back-and-forth process, as is often the case with email trails, can slow down efficiency. In a past book, he has mentioned that it takes an average of 20 minutes for workers to regain their focus on the task at hand after being interrupted by an email notification. He goes on to suggest that a lot of the information sent via email is often irrelevant (think about all the administrative messages, replies and acknowledgements you are copied on), while the pressure to act on emails can compel needless multitasking. This, in turn, impedes your ability to offer your undivided attention to crucial tasks.

Rishi Piparaiya

Brajesh Bajpai, director of international business at Vodacom, says that the root of the many shortcomings we now notice in email communication is the fact that it is a product created nearly 25 years ago. "In its day, email was a revolution as it allowed managers to communicate and collaborate with teams remotely. However, the manner in which email is used, especially in traditional workplaces, is still influenced by mindsets carried forward from that era. Such offices are often staffed by managers who, in their obsession with sending emails, have forgotten that emails are not an end in themselves - their purpose is to get work done. In today's world of global, digital collaboration, emails have become cumbersome because of their inability to keep pace with the rate at which work happens," he explains.

Cal Newport

The better way
Newport and Bajpai both advocate the use of project dashboards, such as Trello or Kanban, which streamline and compartmentalise communication while also eliminating the need for bulky email chains. Bajpai describes these as agile communication systems that make all pertinent information easily accessible to those who need it, when they need it. In the book, Newport says that dashboards encourage single-tasking, since the only communication workers have access to while assigned on a project is related to that project. The focus, both say, has moved away from responsibility (or assigning roles) to output.

Brajesh Bajpai

Rishi Piparaiya, a leadership mentor, adds that having constant access to official communication can be a distraction in itself. "It all began with the introduction of the Blackberry, which enabled people to carry their email with them while on the go. We've now evolved into a generation that compulsively checks our email multiple times a day. An email pop-up or the ping of a group chat on the laptop immediately sparks our curiosity; even if we don't want to, we feel compelled to pause our work to at least read, if not respond to it," he says. To avert this, he recommends setting aside at least a couple of hours of offline time per day, to focus on crucial tasks that require deep thinking - turn off your phone, log out of Outlook, and don't open your message boards for that duration, he adds.

On the cards
Project dashboards summarise your projects in a single screen. Each task is allotted to a card that relevant participants are then assigned to. In the book, Newport suggests the following best practices to get the best value from dashboards:
>> Your cards should be clear and informative
>> Establish a method of assigning tasks cards to individuals
>> Hold regular in-person (or video) review meetings to resolve bottlenecks and identify new tasks
>> Use card conversations (a message board-style feature) for discussions; these tend to be more structured and can be accessed by the team, as required.