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1Social Media, Personal Technology Killing Productivity, Study Finds
A clear majority of employees are distracted on the job—and, perhaps not surprisingly, their use of technology contributes greatly to the situation, according to a recent survey from Udemy. The resulting “2018 Workplace Distraction Report” reveals that both personal and business-related tech tools get in the way of work. However, for younger and middle-generation professionals, personal tech creates the biggest issues. Among social media outlets, Facebook dominates as an online distractor (followed by Instagram)—but more so for Baby Boomers than Gen Xers, Millennials and Gen Z. More than 1,000 U.S. office employees took part in the research, which was conducted by Toluna Group. This slide show presents highlights from the survey, with charts provided courtesy of Udemy.
2Office Distraction Levels Run High
3Interruptions Impact Performance
4Younger Staffers Feel Personal Tech Gets in the Way of Work
5Too Much ‘Face’ Time?
6Older Workers More Likely to Get Hooked on Facebook
7Employees Disconnect to Regain Focus
8Tech Snafus Contribute to Bumpy Meetings
One-third of respondents indicated that technology and connectivity problems disrupt meetings. However, this appears to be of secondary concern compared with interruptions caused by “small talk” and gossip (as cited by 54 percent of respondents), side discussions about other projects (45 percent) and late arrivals/early departures (37 percent).
9Flex Schedules and Remote Options Could Help
10Professional Growth Leads to Improved Engagement
A more engaged employee, of course, may be better positioned to overcome distractions, and 54 percent of respondents said “trying new things, expanding my role” would increase their engagement. Just over two of five said “being empowered to learn new skills whenever I need to” would boost engagement.
11Employees Seek to Increase Productivity
When asked to list the top benefits of reducing distractions, 75 percent of workers said, “I get more done and I’m more productive.” Being motivated to “do my best” ranked second overall, as cited by 57 percent of survey respondents.