The impact of information overload on employees at Vodacom uMhlanga Regional Office.

Abstract

Information overload on employees is one of many factors that impact on staff in an organization. This research sought to understand the impact of information overload in an organization. It was conducted at Vodacom Umhlanga regional office. Its objectives were to determine which business functions were susceptible to information overload, also to figure out causes, the effects as well as coping methods used by employees. This was a cross sectional, descriptive and quantitative study for which a questionnaire was administered among one hundred and twenty respondents at Vodacom, Umhlanga. Empirical findings of this research suggested that periods such as month end period or promotion periods contribute to feeling of information overload in departments such as Marketing, Customer Care and Finance. Also, departments that handle printed sources are susceptible to feelings of information overload more than departments that do not. Findings also suggested that employee skills or amount of working time did not weigh more than amount of emails received and performance of adjacent teams as the causes of information overload. Further findings suggested that as a result of information overload, employees miss their deadlines or work piles us. They largely cope with information overload by being organized, seeking assistance from other employees or working extended hours. As recommendations, employees were advised to be on alert on factors that cause information overload at a personal level and are advised to keep organized. Management was advised to craft service level agreements between adjacent teams in order to manage expectations. Management was also advised to send its employees to time management courses.