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SWNYPENS by Allison Sadlier
New York office - 646-873-7565 / usnews@swns.com
Hard-to-read handwriting is causing problems in America's workplaces, according to new research.
A new study examining handwriting usage in both professional and personal circumstances finds one in two people have been told by others that their handwriting is hard to read.
The survey of 2,000 Americans, conducted by OnePoll on behalf of BIC USA INC., also found that the average respondent has experienced two instances in their working life where their handwriting led to a miscommunication or caused a real problem.
Even more interestingly, 45 percent of Americans struggle to read their own handwriting - and it’s taking its toll at work.
The results of the survey outline the importance of effective handwriting, its usage in a professional environment and its prevalence in communication between employees.
As many as seven in 10 people said struggling to read a co-worker’s handwriting is a challenge in which they are often faced.
The results identify an underlying tension around handwriting, and the idea of having to write on a board in front of colleagues was anxiety-inducing for over a third of the people surveyed, while 23 percent said they would be ‘terrified.”
The survey also revealed that the most common items to be misread are shopping lists, notes to colleagues, birthday cards, and thank you notes.
Despite the pitfalls that unclear handwriting can cause for some, there was no doubt that day-to-day handwriting brought value to the respondents - 86 percent of people still write things down as a main way of staying organized. In fact, ‘writing lists’ came out on top as Americans’ favorite method to keep things tidy in their heads.
Over half of all millennials are quick to grab a pen and paper when it’s time to plan something out.
“Despite all of the technology available to us, writing remains an important part of daily life, whether it is to communicate with a loved one, organize oneself, or for memory retention,” said Janel Lewis, Director of Stationery Marketing for BIC. “In recent years, we have seen the increase of opportunities to write.”
In addition, today’s parents are also keeping tabs on how well their kids write, with one in four parents wishing that teachers spent more time on handwriting during the school day.
School plays a large role in many people’s handwriting formation since seven in 10 adults were taught cursive and 64 percent of people wish more emphasis had been placed on handwriting when they were in school.
Survey conducted by OnePoll for BIC USA INC. with a sample of 2,000 Americans in Dec. 20-24, 2018.
TOP 5 PLACES HANDWRITING IS MISUNDERSTOOD
Shopping list (27%)
Note to colleague (27%)
Note to partner (22%)
Birthday card (21%)
Thank you note (19%)
TOP WAYS WRITING KEEPS PEOPLE ORGANIZED
Writing lists (72%)
Reminders (59%)
Planning (51%)
Writing Post-It notes (45%)
Notes for colleagues (35%)
Brainstorms (33%)
Editing/marking things by hand (32%)
WHAT PEOPLE WISH THEY COULD FIX ABOUT THEIR HANDWRITING
Write too small (25%)
Write too big (23%)
Letters overlap (22%)
Isn’t “pretty” (21%)
Write on a slant (20%)
TOP PEOPLE WE KEEP NOTES FROM
Partner (50%)
Mother (49%)
Friend (48%)
Father (40%)
Ex partner (28%)
Other family member (21%)
Daughter (21%)
Son (17%)
