Nearly half of employees feel overwhelmed by fragmented knowledge systems and irrelevant search results, according to new research from Montreal-based Coveo.
The AI-relevance company’s fifth annual “EX Relevance Report” surveyed 4,000 workers in the U.S. and U.K., revealing that employees at large organizations waste an average of three hours per day searching for information across multiple systems.
The research found 47 per cent of respondents cited information scattered across various applications as their biggest productivity hurdle, while another 47 per cent reported feeling frustrated or burned out when unable to access appropriate tools or information.
“Employees are empowered by the potential of advanced tools and intelligent solutions that can boost their productivity and well-being,” said John Grosshans, COO at Coveo.
Information overload
The survey targeted workers at organizations with more than 5,000 employees and found 42 per cent of information employees encounter is irrelevant to their roles.
Younger workers appear particularly affected, with 30 per cent of Gen Z and 29 per cent of Millennial employees reporting higher search times compared to other age groups.
Employees typically search four different data sources to find information needed for their jobs, with one-quarter of workers reporting they don’t know where to begin their search.
AI adoption expanding
While customer self-service remains the primary application for generative AI at 34 per cent, organizations are increasingly deploying the technology for knowledge management (28 per cent), employee productivity (26 per cent), and self-service for data and analytics (26 per cent).
The report also indicates 42 per cent of respondents believe their companies have made investments in generative AI technology and training to improve job performance.
However, nearly half (49 per cent) of employees have experienced AI hallucinations—incorrect or fabricated information—highlighting the need for more reliable AI solutions grounded in accurate organizational data.
The findings suggest enterprises could benefit from unified digital workplaces and AI-powered knowledge discovery tools that deliver more relevant, contextual information to employees.
