Nearly nine in ten (88%) workers believe there is at least one source of friction within their workplace, leading to a loss in productivity and efficiency.

These friction factors can often take the form of ineffective communication, excessively complicated processes, and a lack of resource, according to new research from Dayforce, which delved into the four key areas of friction – staffing, agility, change and technology.

Surveying more than 6,000 employees globally, the Fighting workforce friction to power productivity report highlighted that although this issue can be addressed through strategic action from leadership, it is also a “pervasive and all-encompassing challenge” across organizations.

Indeed, of those surveyed, one third (34%) were found to be more likely to ‘often or always’ feel unmotivated, which can lead to lower productivity and performance.

Meanwhile, workers in what Dayforce classifies as ‘high-friction’ organizations – those with the highest levels of recorded friction in the research – were 19% less likely to say they have enough time in the workday to complete their most important tasks.

Conversely, employees in ‘low friction’ organizations were found to be 30% less likely to be resistant to change, 25% more likely to say there are no barriers to skill development in their organization and 20% more likely to say their job role matches their skills well – a significant factor when upskilling and reskilling are of high importance to both HR leaders and organizations.

Addressing the four pillars of workplace friction

Speaking exclusively to UNLEASH, Dayforce President and Chief Operating Officer, Steve Holdridge says that business leaders are “grappling with a complexity crisis, as a fluid operating environment, technology disruption, and constant change create friction across their organizations.”

Dayforce’s research “confirms this isn’t a feeling,” he adds, with employees around the world experiencing it as “their reality.”

Ineffective communication was highlighted by respondents as the most common example of friction in their workplace (41%), followed by overly complex processes (25%), unclear roles and responsibilities, lack of resources, resistance to change, and poor alignment between leaders and managers (all 23%).

This friction directly leads to frustrated teams and wasted resources, preventing people from focusing on work that drives value,” Holdridge says.

In order to address these barriers, Holdridge recommends a “direct focus” and for leaders to move beyond “temporary” fixes towards a fundamental simplification of work.

This, he explains, covers aligning workers’ skills with clear job roles via training and clear career paths, replacing poor communication with “clarity and purpose” – particularly during periods of organizational change – and “untangling mismatched technology” to equip workers with the right tools to succeed.

“Ultimately, friction is solvable,” he concludes.

“By setting clear goals and intentionally designing a less complex, more connected workplace, leaders can eliminate these barriers and get their people back to doing the work they’re meant to do.”