Contrary to some experts’ notions, emails are not going away, even in the age of instant messaging, texting, and social media.
So says an online survey of 400 U.S.-based “white collar” workers, released Wednesday by Adobe. On average, survey respondents reported using email six hours a day, or 30-plus hours a week. Nine of 10 respondents said they check personal email at work and work email from home. More than a third reported having multiple personal accounts.
“We found that Americans are practically addicted to email, checking it around the clock no matter where they are or what they’re doing,” Adobe wrote on its blog. “In fact, more than half of millennials check email from the bathroom.”
In the workplace, 35% said they prefer communicating with colleagues via email, putting it on par with face-to-face collaboration. Outside of work, Americans most commonly check their email while watching TV (70%), from bed (52%), on vacation (50%), while on the phone (43%), from the bathroom (42%), and “most dangerously,” while driving (18%).
Although Americans are using email more than ever, many also experience email fatigue, with 24% saying they check email “way too much,” and 34% saying they have had to create a new email address due to an overwhelming amount of spam. Four out of ten reported going on self-imposed “email detox” programs, avoiding their inboxes for an average of five days.
“This suggests marketers should re-invest in email as part of a coordinated cross-channel strategy,” Adobe wrote. “In the case of email campaigns, less is often more; relentlessly pressing send on massive lists only adds to consumer email fatigue. Instead, marketers should revisit their tired tactics and consider how to make email more mobile friendly, sent at a more timely moment, or made more dynamic and contextually relevant.”