What Is the Most Stressful Form of Communication?

According to a new survey from Loom, the asynchronous video messaging platform for modern work, almost 98% of office employees experience stress from group video conferencing, which was voted as the most stressful form of communication.

According to the findings, nearly two-thirds (62%) of office employees admit to multitasking during video calls, and a quarter (28%) even do it on calls where they are expected to talk.

The survey, titled "Building Connection in the Post-Modern Workplace," surveyed 3,000 adults in the United States and the United Kingdom who work full-time at a desk job. It investigated the role of digital communication platforms in the modern workplace, particularly as companies wrestle with decisions about distributed work models.

Loom examined how tech tools (such as instant messaging, email, and phone calls) consume people's time throughout the workday without producing the best performance, how relationships have been affected, and the mental health consequences of over two years in the remote/hybrid workplace.

Digital miscommunication is a real problem

According to the report, workers continue to struggle to clear communication, with 91% of office employees having had digital messages misconstrued or misinterpreted at work.

Furthermore, 20% claim that miscommunication or misinterpretation has resulted in them being punished, demoted, or even dismissed. These employees waste a lot of time stressing about potential misunderstandings, which costs US businesses at least $128 billion every year.

Slack-splaining is a new phrase for the irritation of having to explain something repeatedly via message to get your point across. It's the new "Zoom fatigue."

Office workers are using "Slack-splaining" to clarify tone and avoid confusion:

97% feel the need to add something extra in digital communication to clarify tone
93% have felt the need to write multiple sentences to explain something fully
82% have felt the need to use extra punctuation (e.g. !!, ?!?, …)
77% have felt the need to use emojis, with 25% saying they do so often

While 87% of office workers believe that working remotely and utilising digital communications tools has helped their careers, 62% believe that miscommunication or misinterpretation of digital messages at the workplace harms their mental health.

Traditional tools just won't cut it

The survey found that 72% of office workers are dissatisfied with their digital communication tools. In reality, office workers waste one hour and 42 minutes per week on average scheduling and rescheduling call in the workplace, costing firms in the United States $1.85 billion every week.

About 39% of office workers spend three or more hours each week in client and customer meetings, 27% in company-wide meetings and team check-ins, and 25% in informal one-on-one meetings with managers or coaches.

The average office worker receives 32 emails every day, 21 instant messaging/chats, 13 text messages, and 12 one-on-one phone conversations.

The good news

According to the survey, modern communication tools have enabled certain workers to thrive and express their personalities more than in a typical office setting, and 58% believe that showcasing their personality at work helps engage and encourage them.

Furthermore, most office employees (87%) can think of ways that working remotely and using digital communication tools has enhanced their employment. Tools such as asynchronous video, for example, can be a suitable medium for workers:

81% of workers say their workplaces are using asynchronous video.
36% say that recorded meetings have been the most positive side effect of remote work

Loom was founded in late 2015 and has raised $203 million from world-class investors such as Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia Capital, Kleiner Perkins, Iconic, and Coatue. Loom said in a statement that more than 14 million users from over 200,000 companies worldwide rely on it to send feedback, updates, introductions, training, and more every day.