ICT issues are causing delays and interruptions to meetings in the UK public sector, according to new research.

A survey by supplier Arvato found that almost half of workers (48%) in the public sector who attend meetings have experienced delays due to ICT.

Another third (34%) of public servants send text messages, use social media or check personal emails in meetings, according to the report.

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Debra Maxwell, Arvato chief executive of CRM & public sector UK & Ireland, said: “The public sector is under significant pressure to make huge savings while still delivering the same, if not a better level of service.

“For that reason, organisations can’t afford to waste precious employee time due to a lax meeting culture.”

Almost half (46%) of public sector respondents regularly attend meetings that start late or overrun, according to the survey.

But on the upside, it found only marginal differences in issues between the public and private sector relating to the efficiency and productivity of meetings.

While 33% of public sector workers said they do not consider their workplace meetings to be efficient, 28% of those in the private sector gave the same answer.

The survey was carried out in August by polling firm YouGov, talking to 403 public sector and 670 private sector workers.