A recent study* has revealed that 77% of employees in the UK are facing a productivity crisis caused by dysfunctional HR tools. With productivity levels in the UK reaching their lowest point in a decade this year, it’s a critical issue.

Applaud’s research has revealed that HR tools still have considerable room for improvement, as 77% of UK employees report that at least one HR tool they use at work is burdensome, clunky, or unintuitive. Given the mounting economic pressures faced by businesses of all sizes, they cannot afford to have employees waste time due to subpar technology. However, this data demonstrates that the problem persists.

Furthermore, the study found that 41% of UK employees were using between 5 to 9 HR technology tools, indicating that numerous businesses are still functioning with a range of disparate systems.  Despite investing in multiple tools, the presence of isolated data silos is contributing to a persistent web of inefficiency, further impeding the productivity of their workforce.

The employees who use these ineffective tools had to access them on average once per week, with over half of respondents using them as frequently as every other day. The need to regularly access nearly five ineffective tools becomes a significant hindrance for employees, consuming valuable time that could be dedicated to value-adding work instead of administrative HR tasks.

Over 46% of respondents reported losing up to 30 minutes a week, every week, due to these tools. That amounts to approximately 26 hours per employee per year, equivalent to just over three working days. When multiplied across an entire organisation, this translates into weeks of wasted employee hours that could have been more effectively spent developing crucial business areas.

The potential introduction of generative AI to assist employees could offer promising solutions. However, if employees continue to lack the necessary time to use these tools effectively, their implementation will prove futile in revitalising the UK economy. Applaud’s research from last year showed that 34% of HR systems were already causing issues for employees, therefore, if anything, the situation appears to be worsening rather than improving.

According to Ivan Harding, CEO and co-founder of Applaud, the consequences of inadequate HR systems are undeniably significant. He said, “The cost of bad HR is clear: it’s huge. Since the onset of the pandemic, inefficient HR tools have been consuming valuable employee time, and unfortunately, the situation does not seem to be improving. In fact, they may even be getting worse.”

When employees were asked about the emotional impact of these tools, it became evident that the consequences extended beyond time loss:

• 45% of respondents expressed frustration due to these tools.
• 42% felt that their time was being wasted.
• Just over one in ten (14%) reported that these tools made them contemplate quitting their job.

“What’s so frustrating about this” Harding continues, “is that there’s such an easy solution, but many businesses are struggling to make the connection. Investing in the right employee experience processes means that this lost time can be returned to employees, allowing them to focus on their roles. The secret to a successful EX strategy? Consolidating tools into a single, intuitive platform to save time and prevent employees from experiencing HR tech burnout.”

*Conducted by Applaud