People like to speculate about what the most disruptive productivity killers are in offices around the country, but do they really have a clue? It’s easy to point fingers at email, social media, or lack of discipline as sources of common distractions, but what are the real issues? In a survey of 2,175 hiring and human resource managers released by CareerBuilder last month, the true sources of lost productivity on the job are revealed.
Here are the top 10 productivity busters according to CareerBuilder’s June 2015 survey.
- 52% – Cellphones & texting
- 44% – Internet
- 37% – Gossip
- 36% – Social media
- 31% – Email
- 27% – Coworkers chatting
- 26% – Meetings
- 27% – Snack and/or smoke breaks
- 17% – Loud coworkers
- 10% – Sitting in a cubicle
Why are these findings a big deal?
According to the managers who took the survey, the consequences of these distractions can be pretty severe. A few examples they gave were lower quality of work, dissatisfied employees who have to pick up the slack of lower performers, missed deadlines, and even loss of revenue.
So how do you prevent these productivity killers from disrupting your business?
The chief human resources officer at CareerBuilder mentioned that one of the most effective ways to increase productivity is to simply take a break, which may come as quite a surprise since “Snack and/or smoke breaks” is listed as number 8 for productivity killers.
However, it should be noted that not all breaks are created equal. Listening to loud music or getting caught up in gossip on social media may not actually give employees the sense of rejuvenation they need when they return to work. They key is for staff members to take a break that will re-energize and give them a fresh focus. Some suggestions are to simply take a walk or perform some form of light exercise or stretching.
On a more humorous note, the survey also revealed some of the more unusual non-work activities employees partook in while on the clock. Employers reportedly found their staff doing everything from taking a nap on the CEO’s couch, searching for a mail order bride, and even taking a sponge bath in the restroom sink.
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