Chained To The Inbox – Is Email Running Your Life?



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19th July 2007

PRESS RELEASE

CHAINED TO THE INBOX – IS EMAIL RUNNING YOUR LIFE?

Over 50% of UK business users are self-inflicted ‘emailaholics’ according to new research by Mesmo Consultancy, announced at Inbox/Outbox 2007

London, UK – Over 50% of UK business users are unable to walk away from their emails, even when on leave or off sick, according to the results of Mesmo Consultancy’s latest research on email behaviour as revealed at Inbox/Outbox 2007.

More than half of the 415 respondents check emails when out of the office and 12% check over 5 times a day. When questioned on the main reason for keeping in touch with the office, 67% admitted that it is purely self-inflicted whilst only 20% log in because their office expects them to do so. Couple these figures with the fact that 1 in 4 Britons works longer than 48 hours each week, as reported last month by the International Labour Organisation, and the picture painted of work / life balance is pretty bleak.

In a technology-enabled “always-on” society, where people are connected to their workplace 24/7, email addiction is rapidly becoming a widespread affliction, highlighted by the mushrooming number of internet sites and blogs suggesting rehab tips and techniques. As the Mesmo survey reported, only 17% of respondents give colleagues permission to deal with their emails in their absence and over 80% read every single email in their inbox.

“The role that email plays in office politics (CC and BCC being the most lethal weapons), the fear of missing something and being blamed for it, together with the amount of personal emails received at work addresses are surely accountable for the lack of delegation and obsessive inbox scanning behaviour, contributing directly to the addiction,” commented Dr. Monica Seeley, founder of Mesmo Consultancy. “Moreover, as the survey showed, the majority of users are expecting to receive a reply to a business email in less than 24 hours. And if a reply is sent immediately, that sets the expectation for the next round of communications, fostering a very reactive and rather unproductive way of working.”

Issues around work efficiency and productivity were even highlighted by the way in which the survey’s responses were collected. The research, conducted by email amongst 4000 UK business users with 66% of respondents at managerial/director level, attracted approximately half of the responses within the first hour of sending out the survey. This indicates that the majority of business users are willing to be distracted from the task in hand by emails landing in their inbox, breaking concentration with obvious loss of productivity as a consequence.

Mesmo Consultancy is planning to run another survey in association with the organisers of Inbox/Outbox within the next few months, to delve deeper into business users’ email behaviour and addiction. The results will be announced at the next Inbox/Outbox event (inbox-), due to take place on the 27th and 28th of November at the New Connaught Rooms in Central London.

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Notes to Editor:

Survey Results

Full survey results are available on request. Please contact Angela Peach at Mesmo Consultancy -

Tel: 020 8455 1462 / Email: angela@mesmo.co.uk

About Mesmo Consultancy

Mesmo Consultancy are leaders in email control and executive coaching for IT fitness. They specialise in helping executives and their organisations:

Save time dealing with email

Reduce the email overload

Decrease the email stress factor

Improve email communications

Use computers generally to enhance personal effectiveness

Use IT to improve output and create business success

They have in-depth experience of working with people at all levels (from administrative staff to chief executives) in a wide range of companies of all sizes, across the public and private sector, and not-for-profit organisations.

About Inbox/Outbox

Inbox/Outbox is Europe’s most comprehensive forum for Email Management and Email Marketing, using an innovative educational format to deliver high-value content for senior IT & marketing executives.

Now in its fourth edition, Inbox/Outbox is organised by Revolution Events and fully supported by the DMA (Direct Marketing Association), eema (European association for e-identity and security) and ENISA (European Network and Information Security Agency). Just one day at Inbox / Outbox in central London will provide access to:

• The latest thinking on emerging issues via high-level keynotes from both sides of the Atlantic

• Your own bespoke itinerary selected from more than 30 complimentary seminars each day

• Expert advice on new developments and the key challenges ahead

• Detailed case study sessions using real-life examples of best practice

• Special interactive debate about the role of ISPs in the ongoing battle against spam

• Hands-on demonstrations of the latest solutions from specialist suppliers

Delegate places are offered at no charge to technology and marketing professionals involved in managing inbound & outbound email communications, generating & monitoring email marketing campaigns, improving security and ensuring compliance with the latest legislation.

For more information please visit inbox-.

Press Contacts:

Lorna Campbell – PR Consultant

Tel: 01844 338 145 / Mob: 07836 625 999 / Email: lorna@lornac.demon.co.uk

Angela Peach – Mesmo Consultancy

Tel: 020 8455 1462 / Email: angela@mesmo.co.uk

Maria Boxley, Head of Communications, Inbox/Outbox (Revolution Events Ltd)

Tel: +44 (0)1732 367007 / Email: maria@revolution-

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