Member Article

61% of UK office workers think four-day week would improve productivity

New research shows 21million working days lost every month from office distractions

Productivity levels in offices across the UK have fallen to a dramatic low with 50% of workers admitting they are unproductive for up to an hour every day, adding up to a staggering 21 million working days lost every month.

According to the Fellowes Productivity in the UK report released today, two-thirds of UK office workers feel they would be more productive during a four-day week with 40% claiming they would get more done if they worked from home due to office distractions.

Nearly half (43%) of people surveyed admit they get distracted up to 15 times a day, with the average worker getting distracted every 35 minutes.

It’s no surprise that with the weekend in sight Friday is the least productive day in the office and once the Monday blues have finished Tuesday morning is the most productive time.

The study, by office products firm Fellowes, reveals the constant distraction effecting productivity in the UK workplace with the top ten including:

1. Chatting with colleagues (77%)
2. Tea breaks (60%)
3. Snacking (49%)
4. Browsing the internet (47%)
5. IT problems (42%)
6. Being too hot (37%)
7. Colleagues’ bad habits (30%)
8. Noise (29%)
9. Uncomfortable workstations (25%)
10. Uncomfortable chairs (25%)

A quarter of workers claim to have missed a deadline because they couldn’t get their hands on the right equipment in time. While almost 1 in 5 office workers say they don’t have access to the equipment they need at least two to three times per week.

A quarter of respondents also felt that their office set up had a negative impact on their productivity with 1 in 5 workers admitting they ache at the end of the day because of their desks.

Despite being the fifth largest economy in the world, the UK sits at number 15 in the productivity table, lagging behind the likes of Finland, Switzerland and Denmark.

Productivity expert at Think Productive and author of How to be Really Productive Grace Marshall comments: “It is our ability to think well that increases the quality and value of our work, not how many hours we show up at the office. In fact, working longer hours can diminish our productivity as well as our wellbeing.”

“Time away from our workplace is vital for our productivity. We’ve found that a four-day work week increases momentum and motivation in the office, as well as giving employees more time to enjoy life outside of the workplace.”

“Being distracted diminishes our ability to think clearly and creatively. Many office workers find they get far more work done in the day they work from home, or the hour before everyone else gets into the office - because they have less interruptions and distractions. Flexibility allows us to manage our day, balance the needs of our colleagues and deliver the work we need to get done.”

Fellowes UK Sales and Marketing Director Darryl Brunt added: “It’s clear that our workplace has a huge effect on our productivity and our report shows a real need for businesses to take heed. Making small changes to employee’s work station comfort can reap rewards for their wellbeing and their working life. Employees who feel more productive working from home shouldn’t be forgotten either, everyone should be given access to the right products to ensure they can work well.”

As part of its Working Well campaign, Fellowes, which is celebrating 100 years in the office product industry, aims to create an office environment which allows employees to reach their full potential

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Adam Turner .