The Urgency Effect on communication- How is it crippling our performance and what can we do about it?

“Hi, my name is Helen Rickards. My job description is Global Head of Culture and belonging, but I would describe myself as an inclusive, transformational leader who really just likes to make a difference.”

I had the great pleasure of interviewing Helen as part of the research for my upcoming book on Rituals for busy managers. Helen shared her wisdom on various topics from business overwhelm, parenting out loud at work, mindful communication, meaningful work, working privileges and some great Ritual examples for parenting. 

Some of these themes I will cover in further interview articles, but in this article I wanted to focus on the busyness and overwhelm we all feel. This conversation really brought home to me the challenges we have with communication and the risks of the Urgency Effect on meaningful workplace discourse.

Are we suffering from hyper awareness about everything that's going on?

The Urgency Effect in the workplace describes the psychological tendency to prioritise tasks, or activities that feel urgent, even when they may not be important. This behaviour has become an increasing concern in our post pandemic work environments, where the relentless flow of emails, instant messages, and notifications demands constant attention. Psychologically, this tendency is driven by several factors.

The fear of missing out on critical updates or decisions can push us all to check our devices compulsively.

Cognitive biases also play a role, as humans are naturally drawn to immediate rewards—such as clearing a notification—over long-term goals, a phenomenon known as hyperbolic discounting. Additionally, social pressures in many workplaces create an expectation of immediate responsiveness, reinforcing the belief that being available at all times equates to being productive.

Helen explains that the overwhelm comes from the "Hyper awareness about everything's going on that we never would have known about before." She says, "We are all continually reacting to all of the injects the world gives us at the moment." Helen emphasises the need for boundaries, stating, "I have to really consciously say, Sunday afternoon I'm putting my phone down. There is nothing that I need to do right now, work or personal, that is outside the four walls of my house, and that's really hard."

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Helen believes technology has "Driven us in a route that we are being controlled by it., rather than using it to your own benefit." Helen concludes...

"Creating space and being more intentional about communication is key to managing the overwhelm."

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Digging further into the problem, the urgency effect has on the quality of communication.

This constant communication reactivity has significant consequences. The overwhelming need to stay ahead of communication often reduces focus, as employees are pulled away from meaningful work to respond to interruptions. The result is a fragmented workflow that diminishes productivity.

Over time, this cycle of urgency contributes to burnout, as employees struggle to keep up with the endless demands for their attention.

Strategic, high-impact tasks frequently take a backseat to low-priority but urgent activities, eroding the ability to prioritise effectively. Moreover, the creative thinking required for problem-solving is stifled by the lack of uninterrupted time. Beyond the workplace, the boundaries between work and personal life blur, leaving employees feeling perpetually “on” and unable to fully disconnect.

In addition to personal well-being, the urgency effect diminishes the quality of communication.

Responses become hurried and less thoughtful, leading to misunderstandings or a lack of depth in conversations. It also reinforces a culture of immediacy over intentionality, where the loudest or most urgent message takes precedence, regardless of its actual importance.

As communication channels proliferate, the boundaries between work and personal time erode further. Employees may feel compelled to respond outside of work hours, blurring the lines of availability and leaving little room for rest or recovery. In this way, the urgency effect creates a vicious cycle: the more channels there are, the more overwhelmed employees feel, and the more they rely on reactive behaviours to cope.

This urgency-driven culture creates a false sense of productivity, where responding quickly is mistaken for meaningful contribution.

Addressing this issue requires a deliberate effort to reshape workplace norms. Organisations must encourage thoughtful communication, emphasise prioritisation over immediacy, and support clear boundaries to protect both productivity and employee well-being. Without such changes, the urgency effect risks becoming a permanent barrier to sustainable and effective work practices.

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What are some practical hacks managers and leaders can put in place to mitigate the risk urgency effect has on effective communication?

1. ‍ Establish Clear Communication Expectations.
   Leaders should set guidelines around communication channels and response times. For example, email might have a 24-hour response window, while instant messaging can be reserved for truly urgent matters. Clear expectations help reduce the pressure to constantly monitor all platforms.
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2. ‍Simplify and Consolidate Communication Channels.
   ‍Having too many platforms can fragment attention and create unnecessary noise. Leaders can streamline communication by consolidating tools and designating specific platforms for specific types of communication. For example, project updates might belong in a task management tool, while real-time discussions occur in a messaging app.
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3. ‍Encourage Scheduled Check-Ins.
   Rather than encouraging employees to check messages continuously, leaders can promote scheduled times for checking and responding to communication. For example, "email blocks" during set times of the day allow employees to focus on deep work without constant interruptions.
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4. Model and Encourage Delayed Responses.
   Leaders can model behaviour that de-emphasises immediacy by not responding to non-urgent messages outside of work hours or instantly. By doing so, they demonstrate that thoughtful responses are valued over speed.
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5. Define What Constitutes Urgency.
   To curb the overuse of “urgent” notifications, leaders can clearly define what qualifies as urgent and set protocols for such situations. For example, truly urgent issues might require a phone call or a message labeled with specific keywords.
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6. Provide Training on Communication Skills.
   Employees often default to over-communication or immediacy because they lack clarity about how to communicate effectively. Training sessions can help teams craft concise, clear messages and identify the right platform and timing for their communication.
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7. Implement “Focus Time” Policies.
   Leaders can designate times when team members are not expected to respond to messages. These "focus blocks" or "no-meeting zones" create space for deep, meaningful work and reduce reactive behaviour.
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8. Encourage Open Dialogue About Workload
   The urgency effect often arises when employees feel overwhelmed or unsupported. Leaders should foster a culture where employees feel comfortable discussing workload concerns without fear of judgment. This transparency can help address systemic issues driving urgency
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9. Recognise and Reward Thoughtful Communication
   Leaders can shift the focus from speed to quality by recognising employees who demonstrate clear, intentional communication and thoughtful engagement. This helps reinforce positive communication habits.

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Tailored Team Rituals can help you solve the risks discussed in this article

Huge thanks to Helen, these and other insights are helping to shape - The Ritual Playbook for managers.

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Photo by Luis Villasmil on Unsplash