According to IDC, a typical ‘knowledge worker’ spends about 2.5 hours per day, or roughly 30% of their workday, searching for information[i].
A US survey[ii] conducted by Nintex uncovered similar findings:
- 49% of people said they have trouble locating documents
- 43% have trouble with document approval requests and document sharing
- 43% have trouble with document approval requests and document sharing
What’s it like finding information in your business? How easy is it for your people to source what they need? How much time do you think they waste looking for files or content that a colleague has sent them, or which was shared in an earlier meeting? Do you feel like some of the content your people share simply slips into a black hole, never to be seen again?
Workplaces are more collaborative and team-based than ever before. Yet alarmingly, it’s taking workers way too long to actually find what they need.
In fact, a recent study revealed only 14% of companies say their internal processes for collaboration and decision-making are working well[iii].
So, is ‘search’ the solution?
There’s no question that a lack of content searchability is a problem in many modern businesses – particularly as the advent of digital technology has meant an explosion in the volume of content that’s shared on a daily basis.
While collaboration solutions like Microsoft Teams have had a hugely positive impact in terms of centralising and streamlining communication and file sharing, organisations now have enormous volumes of content that workers can access – and it can be hard for them to know where to start.
In our experience, implementing a robust search tool in a business that’s struggling with managing and finding information can make an enormous difference in three key areas:
1. Providing a better employee experience
Modern employees are demanding and expect a lot from their employers when it comes to technology, and having the right tools to do their job. In fact, almost a quarter of all workers say they would even consider leaving their job if the software wasn’t up to scratch
[iv].
To attract and retain the best people, modern businesses need to offer technology that’s seamless, easy to use, and which provides a positive experience for the employee. Making it easy for workers to find information, every time, cuts down on frustration and wasted time, and helps them do their best work. A robust search facility is a core component of this positive experience.
2. Faster, better decisions
For people at all levels of the business, having access to the right information at the right time means they can function more productively, and make faster and better decisions. Without proper information management in place – or a robust search facility – it can be hard for decision-makers to trust in the information they have at hand: is it actually the latest version? Is there other research that would be more valuable or pertinent? Is there time to find another resource, or will this have to do?
With a trusted search tool in place, employees can be confident that the content and information they are accessing is what they need – significantly speeding up decision-making processes.
3. Avoid information silos
Information silos still remain a problem in many businesses. Too often, information is shared only between certain teams and departments, and isn’t shared across the wider business. As such, valuable content can end up ‘locked’ and out of reach – limiting both productivity and outcomes.
With a robust, company-wide search facility, however, information can be shared equitably and securely across a business.
The Search365 Teams Scout app, for instance, offers a way for employees to search for information on the Microsoft Teams app – as well as the entire Microsoft ecosystem – including emails, calendar items, documents, files, wikis and more.
To find out more about Teams Scout and if it’s right for your business, please get in touch.
[i] Xenit, Do workers still waste time searching for information? <https://blog.xenit.eu/blog/do-workers-still-waste-time-searching-for-information> [ii] Xenit, Do workers still waste time searching for information? <https://blog.xenit.eu/blog/do-workers-still-waste-time-searching-for-information> [iii] Deloitte, The Connected Workforce – how much is too much? [online], https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/consulting/articles/connected-workforce-employee-experience-social-collaboration.html [iv] Tech Republic, 2019, Would you quit your job over bad software? https://www.techrepublic.com/article/would-you-quit-your-job-over-bad-software-24-of-employees-have-considered-it/