Business Editors

    STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 21, 1999--Work as we know it has fundamentally changed, according to a study released today by Pitney Bowes Inc. (NYSE: PBI). This is the third year of the company's ground breaking research initiative "Messaging Practices in the Knowledge Economy" which examines communications in the workplace and its impact on worker and business productivity. The research was executed by independent think tank, the Institute for the Future, headquartered in Menlo Park, California.

This year's research identified a new way of working that is fluid, interdependent, distributed over time and space, and communications dependent. In fact, for many, communications is the work according to research developer and Vice President, Corporate Marketing, Meredith B Fischer. "In the Industrial Age, the flow of messages or communications was seen as a supplement to work...which, as we moved toward the end of the century, was increasingly interfering with an individual's ability to get their `real' work done. But as information has become the source of competitive advantage to business and, as technology makes it possible for more people, to easily access more information, from more sources, we find ourselves in a Knowledge Economy. An economic system fueled, rather than derailed by the exchange of information. Thus, for a growing number of workers today, the conversion of information into knowledge, is the work. And, that's what makes the ability to consciously manage communications practices the key to work productivity, efficiency and success."

It is important for all workers to develop practices for managing messaging because both the flow of messages and the technological tools supporting messaging continue to grow. The research showed, for instance, that in the U.S. the number of messages sent and received per worker, per day increased 6% to 201. The U.S. also led the other countries in the study in the number tools used daily with an average of over 6 per day.

Work in the Knowledge Economy is highly connected or interdependent because of the amount of information, the complexity of the tasks and the speed at which response is required to remain competitive in the global marketplace. In other words, it is virtually impossible for any one worker to have all of the answers, expertise or time to do something as complex as develop a new software product or execute a marketing strategy. Thus, businesses must draw on a variety of skilled workers to address the complex issues surrounding the successful delivery of products and services to the marketplace.

This scenario has a number of implications that have redefined work, as we know it. Previously, the projects that individuals worked on were mainly defined by the department/ or function in which they worked. If for example, a new product was being developed, those associated with the project were primarily engineers. Today, it's not unusual to find a variety of experts from areas such as customer service on new product teams, as well. All, in an effort to produce a higher value offering for the customer, that goes beyond the mere functionality of the product.

Thus, as the economy and firms have "globalized" and skilled individuals from throughout the organization are required to work on any given business issue, it means that work must be conducted across time and space. The needed workers could physically be located across the hall, in another building, in another country or another time zone. Asynchronous or time-delayed communications technology such as fax, email, voicemail and Intranets are enabling geographically dispersed individuals to work on projects in ways never before possible. But, with the variety in the team, can also come a variety of communications cultures -- each with their own practices for exchanging messages and preferences for communications tools. Their work success will depend on creating a common messaging culture.

Ultimately, because work is connected, the flow of messaging or information between the workers is also connected. And, any disruption in the messaging flow, becomes as much a business productivity issue, as an individual one. That's why superior messaging practices are the key to business productivity in the Knowledge Economy, according to Fischer. "If 'teams' of interdependent workers do not develop common practices for using tools and exchanging messaging, they lose their ability to effectively work together. Many a great idea has never made it to the marketplace because stymied messaging caused misunderstandings, missed deadlines, and frustration. Thus, project workers must develop common practices that easily, signal the message's relevance to their partners in order to break through the daily clutter and keep the project moving. Winners in the global market will be those who understand the impact of messaging on their ability to deliver break-through products and services."

This year's research identified the relationship between the cycles of work, the flow of messages, and tool selection. Each project has an ebb and flow of activity, which requires different team dynamics and different communications tools to get to the next stage. In the beginning of the project, for example, it's often necessary to brainstorm to understand the scope of the task and think through possible solutions. This complex, information-rich exchange is most effective when the team members use real-time messaging methods, such as face-to-face meetings, conference calls or video conferencing. When each team member is delegated a task commensurate with their skills and expertise, they can operate more independently on things like research or analysis. During these times workers can more efficiently exchange messages and gain control over their information flow by using time-delayed tools such as fax, email, or overnight postal mail. And, so it continues throughout the project...where the need for collective or independent action varies with the task. Understanding how to match the tools to the task helps keep the project on time and on track.

It is important to note, that communications is even more critical in moving the project forward and keeping focused on the end result as the project moves from real-time, "collective" action to individual action. When messaging is at its peak efficiency, interdependent workers understand their role and its relationship to the overall project, have access to the information they need, and have an understanding of the practices and tools to elicit a timely response from team members. An example of a practice that increases messaging efficiency is stating in the message itself what action is expected from the recipient, and the time frame for response. Simple agreements like this among connected workers, eliminate or reduce the cascade of follow-up messages arising from the need to clarify or reduce uncertainty.

The research found that team leaders play a key role here, in making sure that the messaging which is directed to individual workers is specifically geared toward their role in the project. This layering of information helps workers to comprehend and stay focused on their piece of the project, without getting overwhelmed by the details of the whole project.

Filtering is another way in which team members get the information they need, while staying focused on the project. Filters include sorting messages by the sender's name, organizational relationship, noted deadline, relevance to the project, or impact on the workflow of others. By filtering the worker can prioritize what they need to focus on, delegate to others capable of providing more immediate or informed feedback, and get quicker access to the information they need to continue making progress. Filters also help individuals remain responsive to critical issues, which in turn builds trust with messaging partners. Trust, in turn, increases messaging efficiency and decreases volume. Because work is fluid, filters must be fluid as well. Factors such as travel, changing priorities and approaching deadlines change filters and keep the focus on what's currently important.

Milestones or deadlines effect the ebb and flow of project work and the related messaging activity. The research showed that as deadlines or milestones approach, the pace and intensity of messaging activity increases, and more real-time communications become necessary to exchange the most content in the shortest amount of time. For example, if a project review is scheduled with senior management, as the time of the review gets closer, there is more messaging activity, more urgency of response, and more real-time messaging. Thus, one way effective communicators can manage their messaging, is to note deadlines and anticipate the heightened flow and pace of information and plan accordingly. This will include adjusting their filters, and choosing when they respond to those messages which are not directly related to the immediate deadline.

It is this understanding of the spikes in messaging flows which helps a worker avoid message overload according to Fischer. "Our research shows that message overload is not solely based on the volume of messages. It is when the pace of the messaging volume unexpectedly intensifies or priorities shift dramatically that the individual worker is unable to respond, process or disseminate information to those who need it. The worker gets overwhelmed. By understanding the link between the stage of the project, the appropriate tool, and messaging flow, skilled workers can anticipate peak messaging periods and take steps to proactively focus on critical tasks and their resulting responsibilities. If not, work will become fragmented beneath the onslaught of seemingly unrelated messages and workers will be reduced to merely reacting."

Work efficiency in the Knowledge Economy is also increasingly linked to the "social capital" of interdependent workers. Social capital is the network of personal and professional relationships that individuals use to get the job done -- from information, to resources, to access to influential individuals. Developing social capital drives both the volume and pattern of communications, and it improves messaging productivity. As trusted professional relationships grow, workers share knowledge and experience easily and, in turn, develop a high degree of familiarity with their contact's messaging behavior. Once trust has been established, workers know how, when and with how much detail to communicate with their contacts. And share your contact networks with others. It's the fastest and surest way to bring new team members up to speed and productive.

     --30--ks/ny*

     CONTACT:  Scott Tangney
               (212) 684-6300, ext. 313

     KEYWORD:  CONNECTICUT
     INDUSTRY KEYWORD:  COMED COMPUTERS/ELECTRONICS   
INTERACTIVE/MULTIMEDIA/INTERNET TELECOMMUNICATIONS