While responses the issues of autonomy at work and collaboration in decision-making have been dominant in conversations about the workplace, new research suggests employee productivity is tied to something different altogether. According to the IT provider Slingshot in its 2023 digital workplace trends report, employees are more concerned about quality data than their autonomy.
In Slingshot’s survey of just over 300 full-time professionals in the United States, nearly three-quarters (72%) of workers say their productivity depends on the metrics and data that track their performance and progress, not their level of autonomy.
If a company focuses on improving workplace flexibility, it may not be aligned with what drives employee productivity. Only 39% of workers surveyed said independent working improves their productivity, and 27% said the same of autonomy.
Data’s Dominance
The survey results suggest data is the most important factor when discussing the X’s and O’s of work. According to Slingshot, over half (56%) of surveyed employees say they gather and use data to make decisions. Just over a fifth (21%) said they tap into brainstorming sessions with colleagues for decision-making, and 6% of workers say they use their gut instinct.
Whether it’s a communication issue, an issue of company silos, or a fear of a manager’s response, employees seldom ask their managers or bosses for help in the decision-making process. Data shows only about 12% of employees say they would ask the most senior person in the business for decision-making guidance.
Consequences of Poor Data
Regardless of the desire or direction to use data in the decision-making process, the decision might yield the same result if the data is no good. According to surveyors, the consequences of poor data are extensive, and many employees are blaming it for their shortfalls or pain points at work.
Nearly a third (32%) of employees said they lack the information needed to do their job when they don’t have enough data. That not only inhibits productivity but also creates stress as tasks pile up. Fifteen percent of employees said bad data causes them to have constant notifications across multiple applications, and a nearly identical 13% said bad data increases their workloads.
Age and Gender Matter
While the focus on data in the workplace is widespread, the actual implementation of these processes can vary based on position and age. According to the Slingshot survey, more than six in 10 (61%) Gen Z employees (born between 1997 and 2012) use data daily in their decision-making processes. More than half (57%) of baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) use data daily, too.
But Gen X (born between 1965–1980) and millennials (born between 1981–1996), who hold a significant portion of manager or leadership positions, use data less than the other age groups, with 40% saying they do so daily.
The survey also shows that male employees are more likely to pull insight from data on a daily basis. Regardless of age, over half (56%) of males use data daily. Only 44% of women reportedly do the same.