Employee cognitive failures turning pricey for organizations: a systematic review and future directions

Purpose Amid rapid digital transformation, tackling employees' cognitive failures (CFs) poses a significant challenge, hampering organizational productivity. Employees often face mental exhaustion from heavy workload, increasing the likelihood of errors and potential losses for firms. Research in this domain is limited to accident-prone industries and lacks consensus due to varied terminology. This study aims to systematically review the literature on CFs across organizations. Design/methodology/approach The study analyzed 107 articles from the SCOPUS database until April 2025, using the theory, context, characteristics and method framework for analysis. Findings Findings suggest that the existing literature prevails in manufacturing and emergency services sectors, focused mainly on Anglo-Saxon countries and using experimental methodology. The analysis presents research trends of CF in the ocean of cognition research, an integrated thematic view of antecedents, mediators, outcomes and moderators of CF, proposing a comprehensive framework for future research. Practical implications The study highlights the need for multi-level interventions – individual, team and organizational to reduce CF. Practical strategies include technological personal assistants and training designed using cognitive load principles, ergonomic setups (e.g. sit and stand desks) and environmental aids (e.g. screen filters and natural elements) to enhance cognitive performance. Originality/value This study attempts to consolidate existing research on the cognition spectrum and provide theoretical support to emerging trends in research on CF to improve employee performance.