You’re probably distracting yourself from your work by reading this article
right now.
That’s OK; scintillating content is just one of a thousand distractions in
the modern workplace. Between notifications, meetings and “Hey, got a
minute?” taps on the shoulder, it’s hard to stay on task.
Of course, technology has done wonders for work. Employees today need just
11 hours
to match the output of a 40-hour workweek from an average worker in 1950.
However, all this technology at our fingertips is causing what some are
calling a “
productivity crisis
.”
Let’s review three major barriers to productivity:
Distractions
Workplace interruptions cost U.S. companies about
$588 billion in lost productivity
every year. Stanford researchers also found that multitasking
ruins your memory
,
and the
American Psychology Association
states that “even brief mental blocks created by shifting between tasks can
cost as much as 40 percent of someone’s productive time.”
One remedy is to keep as much as possible on one platform. The more tabs or
programs you have open, the more distracted you’ll be. You might even
consider The Atlantic’s “
Tabless Thursdays
” suggestion.
Throughout your workday, consolidate and streamline as much as possible.
Using one program or platform at a time can double your productivity.
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Disorganization
Disorganized information can be just as costly as distractions. Without a
central repository for your company’s research and communication, you’re
losing valuable time—and money—just searching for things.
One
survey
found that 57 percent of business leaders believe they lose more than six
hours per week due to disorganization. That’s 15 percent of a typical
workweek down the drain.
Having a user-friendly hub can save time and boost productivity, but the
trick to is give your employees specific access levels tailored to their
needs. You don’t want to create a cluttered digital junk drawer that’s
difficult to navigate; you could end up even more disorganized than before.
Miscommunication
Modern communication is more fragmented than traditional, face-to-face
communication. There is often less context and more ambiguity, which leads
to mixed messages, which in turn can quickly harm productivity.
The Society for Human Resource Management
estimates
that poor communication can cost a large organization $62.4 million per
year.
Miscommunication can also ruin morale
, create a culture of mistrust and harm employee retention.
Some workplaces funnel communication through an intranet; others rely on a
robust chat platform or project management tool.
Whatever way you set about to address these crucial workplace issues, find
out employees’ messaging preferences up front. Otherwise, you might
unwittingly replace one productivity barrier with another.
Lesley Maea
is director of customer success at GreenOrbit.