OnePoll, an international marketing agency, ran a large-scale study commissioned by serviced-office provider Office Freedom. The global company has been supplying offices to startups and large corporations for 20 years.
The study suggests the traditional eight-hour workday wastes a lot of time. Researchers tracked 2,000 office workers and analyzed their productivity throughout the workday.
The study found office workers hit peak productivity at 10:22 a.m., then start to decline by 1:27 p.m.
Productivity keeps falling in the afternoon. By 2:06 p.m., office work becomes significantly less effective, the Independent reported.
More than Half of Workers Prefer Office Work
The study found 58 percent of employees actively try to fight these slumps. They aim to keep their productivity steady rather than experience peaks and valleys.
But forcing themselves to “get into” work when they’re not motivated hurts their well-being. Some specifics: 27 percent report prolonged sitting at their computers, 24 percent say conversations with colleagues distract them, and 22 percent say they don’t have enough chances to take breaks away from their desks.
The study also revealed that more than half of the participants (54%) prefer collaborative work in the office over solitary work at home.
Thirty-eight percent of respondents said the office boosts their productivity, while 22 percent said it hinders quality work.
Sixty-five percent of employees said communication with colleagues is the best part of office work.
Among those who consider working in an office a key factor in their effectiveness, nearly half credited the work atmosphere and interaction with others.
The main reasons cited for decreased productivity in the workplace include noise levels (36%), room temperature (32%), and distractions from colleagues’ questions (32%).
Monday and Friday Are Not the Best Days for Productivity
The study found employees feel least energetic and enthusiastic at the beginning and end of the week. Nearly a quarter of respondents (24%) said Monday and Friday are the days when their output is lowest.
Across the workday, “white-collar” workers show signs of fatigue to coworkers about three times on average.
Participants identified the most popular ways to recharge and feel more alert at work: a cup of coffee (31%), a walk outdoors (25%), and a cup of tea (24%).
While remote work may seem appealing, most employees still value the office for face-to-face interaction with colleagues.
But not all office time is productive: only about half of the hours spent in the office are truly effective in terms of employee output.
