Losing productivity is always a concern of employers. As distractions abound and business works on an international time clock, ensuring you have focused, happy, productive employees can save you money. Understanding the productivity barriers present in the workplace can help employers pinpoint areas in which they are losing time and money. With employers losing an estimated $1.8 trillion in lost productivity each year, it is important to know what causes these prohibitions to productivity, how to identify them, and how to correct them.
In a nationwide survey from SurePayroll of more than 2,060 professionals 18 years old and up, 86 percent prefer to work alone and 61 percent find that loud colleagues are their biggest office distraction. Professionals who are working in office environments are stating that their most distracting issues stem from the office—unnecessary meetings, loud coworkers, even avoiding face-to-face communication to avoid getting derailed in their daily work. Only 27 percent of employees feel that an open-room environment would make them more productive, which runs counter to the environment that many employers (13 percent in this study) are exploring to keep their workers more connected to each other.
Many employers try different tactics to increase productivity among their workers. But only 14 percent allow their workers to telecommute. According to the State of the Workspace Productivity Report, which surveyed 2,009 full-time employees 18 and older, 65 percent think a flexible and remote work schedule would increase their productivity, but only 19 percent are allowed by their employers.
So what are the causes of productivity loss?
Lack of engagement with the job. It cannot be stressed enough that disengaged employees will never work well for businesses. Recruiting top talent does nothing for an employer if they cannot keep the person engaged with the company culture and interested in the work they are hired to perform. Retaining top talent requires that employers find the right person for the job and many of the right people are demanding work flexibility. Which leads us to reason number two.
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Child care, health issues, and excessive commutes. Parents stressed over the cost of childcare will cost employers over $300 billion in lost productivity per year. Flexible schedules and remote working can offer an alternative for working parents that includes eliminating this stressor from their employees. Obesity and other chronic health conditions cause another $153 billion loss per year, which can be eliminated by taking out the need for a physical office. Excessive commuting—another $90 billion lost.
How do you stop losing money and productivity?
From limiting interruptions, working in intervals, prioritizing, and organizing and planning comes the suggestion of letting employees work from home. More than two-thirds of employers report increased productivity among their telecommuting workforce. Telecommuters are able to work when they are slightly ill without contaminating others, can return to work more quickly after health issues, and can run errands without losing a full day of work.
Readers, what productivity barriers do you see in the office? How does your company work to overcome them? Share with us below!
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