Eliminate These Workplace Distractions to Improve Your Company’s Productivity Levels
A study from the University of California at Irvine found that employees make up for workplace distractions by working faster, but that caused more stress, tension, and nearly doubled their error rate. Employee errors can lower productivity and may even end up costing a company its profits. To have more focused and productive employees, Employer Support Service has provided some solutions to these common workplace distractions.
Make Meetings More Manageable to Eliminate Distractions
Conducting meetings may seem like a great way to get employees on the same page, but they can also be highly distracting. On average, U.S. companies waste $37 billion annually conducting meetings. Tardiness, side chatter, off-topic conversations, and cellphone use are a few common reasons why meetings run longer than intended and become a distraction rather than an asset.
Every meeting should have a clear, distinct goal that should be accomplished by the end of the meeting. Additionally, the only people who should be invited into the meeting should be directly tied to the meeting’s objectives. Other employees can receive meeting minutes or a brief recap at a later time. By inviting only the necessary personell, you can reduce the risk of meeting distractions. Also be sure to keep meetings brief and on-topic so that they do not last longer than they should.
Encourage Employees to Turn Off Non-Work Notifications
Notification sounds on both computers and cellphones can be distracting to all employees. When people take their focus off of a task to check a notification, it takes an average of 23 minutes for them to refocus. While you may not be able to eliminate work-related notifications, non-work notifications should be reduced as a more practical solution to minimize workplace distractions.
Have Smartphones Put Away
According to a 2018 Udemy study, 36 percent of millennials and Gen Z spend two hours or more checking their smartphones during the workday. This time adds up to at least 10 hours of lost productivity in a week. Employees become distracted when they are scrolling through social media, responding to texts, or surfing the internet on their phones.
In addition to encouraging employees to turn off non-work notifications on their computers, be sure to encourage employees to keep their personal phones put away to avoid the distraction. Your company can also set certain times every day where everyone in the office must have their phone turned off and put away.
Identify and Minimize Micromanagement
Good management in the workplace is essential to employee productivity, motivation, and engagement. Micromanagement can significantly affect employee motivation and can also be a significant workplace distraction. If employees are having to constantly create reports regarding their job responsibilities, seek approval before making any decision, or delay project deadlines due to critiques or revisions from management, then your employees are being distracted by micromanagement.
The best solution to minimize distractions due to micromanagement is to build an ownership mentality within the workplace. When employees are trusted to do their job, they are more motivated to complete assignments and feel more responsible for the project outcome. In turn, your employees will become less distracted from miniscule tasks and focus more on productive projects.
Offer Flexible/Remote Work Options
Office distractions can be a major problem for employees. Interruptions from co-workers, meetings, micromanagement, and even being in a cubicle can be highly distracting for employees. Working remotely has become an increasingly important perk that companies offer to provide their employees a better work/life balance. According to Indeed, 57 percent of workers feel more productive working from home because they are able to avoid workplace distractions.
New technology has also provided businesses with better opportunities for employees to work remotely without affecting regular workflow. Time and attendance tracking software, video conferences, and project tracking software are just a few examples of technology that companies can utilize to provide flexible and remote work options while maintaining accountability.
For More Help Eliminating Workplace Distractions, Contact Employer Support Services Today
As HR specialists, we are here to provide the best solutions for a more productive and performance-driven workforce. To see how we can help eliminate workplace distractions and create a more seamless operation in your company, contact ESS today.
