A new survey on personal productivity from Atlassian, a global leader in team collaboration and productivity software findings indicate that a resounding 94% of Indian knowledge workers believe that the most organized individuals are also the most productive, highlighting the strong connection between order and output.
The survey commissioned by Atlassian and conducted by Wakefield Research, had responses from 6,000 knowledge workers in 6 markets: US, UK, Australia, India, Germany and France, with 1,000 respondents per market. Interestingly, 82% of Indian participants consider themselves more organized than their colleagues, suggesting a high level of self-perceived organizational competence in the workforce.
The ripple effect of disorganization in teams
A significant 56% of Indian knowledge workers report having to take on extra work when collaborating with disorganized colleagues. This highlights the ripple effect of disorganization, where the burden of inefficiency falls on others, potentially leading to increased workloads and decreased morale. Furthermore, 33% of professionals have had to redo work due to a disorganized teammate, underscoring the direct cost of disorganization in terms of wasted time and resources.
Navigating ‘controlled chaos’ and finding personal systems
While the ideal of perfect organization is often touted, the survey also reveals a more nuanced reality in India. Many professionals have developed their own unique systems for managing tasks, even if those systems appear unconventional. In fact, chaos correlates with age as 71% of Gen Z and 72% of Millennials in India agree their organization system looks chaotic, but it works perfectly for them. This ‘controlled chaos’ approach may be a reflection of the fast-paced and often unpredictable nature of the Indian workplace.
The balancing act: Work, life, and the tools of organization
The survey reveals that 46% of Indian workers use two separate to-do lists to track tasks across work and their personal lives, while 27% combine personal and work tasks into one to-do list. This suggests a diverse range of approaches, with some preferring a clear separation between work and personal responsibilities, while others opt for a more integrated approach.
Furthermore, most (83%) Indian knowledge workers are using tools introduced to them in their workplace to organize their personal lives, especially senior leaders, highlighting the spillover effect of professional tools into personal organization. It’s also common for organizations to have organizational tools for employees to utilize. But surprisingly, the majority (87%) of Indian employees have invested in 5 or more task management or productivity tools, indicating a strong desire for effective organizational solutions.
“Our to-do lists need to evolve as much as we do. As our tasks, teams and ways of working change, so should the systems and tools we use to organize them. Organizational tools that are customizable and allow for flexibility in to-do lists not only increase personal productivity but also improve team dynamics on the job,” says Dr. Molly Sands, Head of the Teamwork Lab at Atlassian.
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