| As business e-mail volumes continue to grow and employees spend increasingly larger portions of their day processing e-mail, there is strong evidence of the negative impacts of e-mail processing, especially with respect to e-mail overload. This study sought to determine whether a training program focused on select e-mail features and processing skills could improve e-mail skills and media competencies and reduce the perception of e-mail overload in a sample of knowledge workers. The research consisted of the development and implementation of an e-mail training program based on an analysis of current e-mail research. A longitudinal study was conducted, utilizing a survey instrument to collect select demographic and e-mail utilization variables and to measure e-mail processing skills and self-perception of e-mail overload. The research found that the training delivered statistically significant improvements in the levels of e-mail knowledge, e-mail application, media usage, and triage processing, as well as a statistically significant reduction in the perception of e-mail overload. In addition, statistically significant correlations were found between e-mail overload and daily new messages, unread messages, number of folders, and management level, although a statistical correlation was not found between e-mail overload and inbox size, checking frequency, or age. Given the amount of time that knowledge workers spend processing e-mail and the dominance of e-mail as the primary communication method for corporations, there appears to be a compelling case for firms to focus additional resources on enhanced training in this important area. |
