Report: Can Slack have an impact on mental health? Here’s what employees say

According to a new report by Loom, while 87% of office workers can identify ways that working remotely and using digital communication tools have improved their jobs, 62% say miscommunication and/or misinterpretation of digital messages at work has a negative effect on their mental health.

Summer 2022 is shaping up to be a pivotal moment — the first real test of whether teams will forge ahead with building a post-modern workplace or hurry back to the old status quo. Communication and connection at work have changed and will continue to evolve. To adapt, leaders will need to be open to new tools, new norms, and a reimagined work culture. 

The rise of digital inter-office communication during the pandemic has caused office workers to struggle with clear communication, with 91% saying they’ve had digital messages misunderstood and/or misinterpreted at work, and 20% say that miscommunication has caused them to get reprimanded, demoted, or even fired. 

The result?” “Slack-splaining” — otherwise known as over-communication in order to clarify tone and preempt confusion. In the workplace, Slack-splaining can take many forms, including writing multiple sentences to fully describe something, using extra punctuation (e.g. !!, ?!?, …) or using emojis to clarify their tone and intent. The cost of these miscommunication are startling — U.S. businesses lose at least $128 billion annually because employees spend significant amounts of time worrying about potential misunderstandings.

As we enter a new era of work, how we understand one another in the workplace will fundamentally change. The most successful companies will be the ones that adapt to new modes of communication and connection. Managers will need to be open to experimentation with how their team members collaborate, and consider what tools will best meet the needs of their organization. The goal? Greater flexibility and better communication — this year and beyond.

Loom surveyed 3,000+ working adults in the U.S. and U.K. to uncover attitudes around digital communications tools in the workplace, exploring how those tools can help build relationships, improve employee engagement and enhance virtual connections. The report outlines how communication at work is evolving, what employees want in a post-modern workplace, and what companies can do to stay ahead of the curve.

Read the full report by Loom.