Employees Want to Work from the Office but Cite Noisy Coworkers, Overscheduling as Major DistractionsOAKLAND, Calif., May 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Ask.com, a leading online brand for questions and answers, today announced the results of its Office Workplace Productivity study, which reveals the preferences and habits of American office workers when it comes to an optimally productive workplace environment. The study was conducted online by Harris Interactive on behalf of Ask.com among 2,060 adults ages 18 and older in March 2013. "This research gives us broader context when thinking about the workplace culture we're trying to foster," said Lisa Ross, vice president of human resources at Ask.com. "It also yielded some unexpected findings. For example, while working from home policies have been hotly debated in the media, it appears most office workers actually prefer working in an office environment, as long as companies facilitate focus time and minimize distractions." The study indicates that distractions tend to come in the form of noisy colleagues (61 percent). In addition to cherishing alone time, it appears many office employees who have a boss need distance from their managers, with 20 percent saying they would prefer to have more work responsibilities than sit alongside their bosses. Even when colleagues are nearby, nearly one-half (46 percent) of respondents report they mostly communicate with them through IM, e-mail or phone over face-to-face interaction. Nearly one-quarter (24 percent) of respondents signal meeting fatigue, claiming to spend more time in meetings discussing work than actually executing it. Detailed findings from the report include: Do Not Disturb
Won't You Be My Neighbor?
"Face-time and group collaboration are critical to success, but it's interesting to see the significant value placed on fostering concentration and limiting outside static," continued Ross. "It's important for today's employers to adapt environments to effectively strike that balance." About Ask.com Survey Methodology 1 Respondents and employees noted in the Office Workplace Productivity press release refer to base respondents of 603 U.S. adults who work in an office setting and gave an applicable response SOURCE Ask.com ![]() |
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