Think about the challenges you face every day in your work. The manual tasks that take up too much time. The fragmented processes that require multiple handoffs. The systems that don’t communicate, leaving us stuck using multiple tools for simple tasks. All of that is what we call grey work – and it’s an even bigger challenge here in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
As Quickbase’s recent research, The Grey Work Index, found, only 7% of respondents in the UK and Ireland feel “extremely confident” in the accuracy of key project information, compared to 12% of US respondents. At the same time, respondents in the UK and Ireland are getting less out of their current solutions.
Here are some of the main takeaways from the Grey Work Index – and how you can look to turn the tides.
Download the Grey Work Index report now.
Software solutions causing headaches
Productivity is down across the United Kingdom. As the Institute for Fiscal Studies found, per-worker growth in the UK in the last decade is as weak as it has been since at least 1850. Our research captured this feeling – 57% of UK respondents feel that it’s harder than ever to be productive, a slightly higher figure than 53% of respondents in the US.
Unfortunately, the software solutions we use aren’t helping the problem. Our research found that only 46% of respondents feel more productive as a result of their software solutions. The tools we turn to for support are not making things easier – and in many cases, may be making things harder.
Spending more, getting less
Even with this challenge, many software tools are not up to the task. 68% UK respondents are seeing their organisations increase spend on tools to enhance productivity, even while the impact these tools are having is in question. Across all geographies, 9 out of 10 respondents feel overwhelmed to some degree by the amount of software they have to use daily – meaning the answer may not be more tools, but finding ways to connect the tools you already have.
An uphill battle in construction and manufacturing
Physical industries like construction and manufacturing are even more prone to these challenges. These industries already feel a lot of volatility with supply chain challenges, new regulations like the Golden Thread and labor challenges. Our research found that both construction and manufacturing were more susceptible than average to struggling with disconnected tools, project management issues, and confidence in key project information.
Finding success – connected tools, not more tools
Grey Work is sneaky – it causes you to work more while getting less done. But finding ways to focus on impact can drive your business into a new, successful age. Getting data where it needs to be, removing the tedious, manual tasks, and connecting your tools into a united work management platform can all drive out Grey Work and solve the challenges of decreasing productivity.
