One in five frontline workers feel so overwhelmed by the amount of information they need at work that they have considered quitting.
A new survey of 1,000 U.S. workers in the retail, food service, fitness, and hospitality industries revealed that 83% of workers overall feel overwhelmed to some extent by the amount of information required to perform their job properly.
Many attribute their work-related stress to a lack of knowledge in certain skills needed for their role (43%). More than half (55%) also admitted that they are more prone to making mistakes when feeling stressed at work.
Compounding their stress, three in four workers struggle to some degree to stay up to date with the information necessary for their role.
The study, commissioned by Wisetail and conducted by Talker Research, found that three in ten workers are either unsure or certain that their company cannot provide them with up-to-date and consistent training resources.
However, many workers believe that when their employers do supply the correct resources, it makes a significant difference.
Eighty-three percent said it’s easy for them to learn the necessary skills for their role thanks to company-provided training, whether in person (78%), online (62%), or via paper resources (50%).
As a result, 52% said they frequently learn something new in their role. In fact, only 2% claimed they “never” learn anything new from their job.
“It’s very easy to get overwhelmed by information, and that can absolutely lead to making mistakes,” said Ali Knapp, President at Wisetail. “As some of these respondents said, it’s important not to rush into it, but to take the time to learn about their role and really lean into the resources your company provides.”
The findings also showed that 69% of workers believe their current job has equipped them with skills they can use in their future career. Equally, many consider their current role to be a long-term career opportunity rather than just a short-term position.
Moreover, 70% of respondents said they would likely stay with their current employer if they were offered a long-term position within the company.
On average, workers have been in their current role for over two years, with most needing five months to learn how to do the job and an additional four months to fully understand their daily responsibilities.
The majority (84%) said that their job’s responsibilities aligned with their expectations when they first applied.
“It’s clear that people care about their jobs and want to continue working with their current companies,” added Knapp. “Employees recognise that without the burden of information overload, if their companies provide them with the right tools, resources, and learning opportunities, they will be set up for success.”
