Productivity Black Hole: 27% Time Lost Looking For Information, AI Is The Fix, Atlassian Reveals
Globally, about 27% of work week is wasted searching for information each year within the Fortune 500 companies. Employees said that finding information is the No. 1 barrier to moving fast.
A remarkable 92% of Indian professionals agree that artificial intelligence will improve the speed and quality of their team’s work, a new report by Atlassian, a provider of team collaboration and productivity software, shows.
The report also highlights a critical need for teams to connect and organise information effectively. Globally, about 27% of work week is wasted searching for information each year within the Fortune 500 companies. Employees surveyed said difficulty finding information is the No. 1 barrier to moving fast, as 72% often find that the only way to get the information they need is to ask someone or schedule a meeting.
A significant 61% of Indian respondents reported that teams at their company sometimes unknowingly work on the same things, causing duplication of work. These challenges are compounded by a lack of goal clarity, with 90% of respondents agreeing that it would be easier to support the business if their goals and strategy were more clear.
Atlassian’s ‘State of Teams 2025’ report gathered data from 12,000 knowledge workers across six regions, including India, and 200 executives from Fortune 500 companies.
AI Can Help
According to India findings of the report, 87% of respondents believe AI is helping them show up as a better teammate. Over nine in ten (91%) of Indian knowledge workers believe there are probably ways they could be better using AI to discover and manage information.
In India, more than 17 hours per week is spent tracking down information. Additionally, 70% agree that the functions within their company (e.g., marketing, sales, engineering, product) largely operate in silos.
Over half (51%) of knowledge workers also believe they could work faster if their teammates used AI more.
Molly Sands, head of Teamwork Lab, Atlassian, commented, “Team silos hinder collaboration, create inefficiencies, and lose opportunities. Without alignment, achieving objectives and adapting to market changes becomes difficult.” “Connecting information and integrating AI are essential: organised information allows AI to reveal key information, enabling teams to find what they need, at the right time.”
