Currently, it is very common for distractions and wasted time to occur in the workplace, despite the need for professionals and teams to increase their focus and productivity. These breaks compromise the productivity and delivery of tasks by employees and the results of companies.
There are many forms of distraction that exist, throughout the day cell phones generate notifications constantly informing you of news and letting you know that your friend is in the mood for a chat, new emails arrive all the time, on the computer you go to look for some information on the internet and end up browsing through other websites that catch your attention, such as news about the latest economic or political events or promotions of products that interest you, on social networks constant updates attract and hold attention for hours during the day, your colleagues talk all the time on various subjects, etc. Ultimately, wasted time in the workplace occurs in countless ways and it is necessary for companies to take measures to mitigate this problem.
This scenario requires managers to look for a solution, considering that team productivity is a competitive factor in the market and is directly related to the quality of services provided by employees. Let’s look at the main causes of distraction and low productivity among professionals in the workplace:
Social media
It is estimated that 90% of internet users in Brazil have a profile on at least one social network and that 70% of these access social networks in the workplace. On the computer or cell phone, professionals constantly access their profile on social networks, research shows that the time spent on social networks is around 30% of working time.
Cell phone conversations and instant communicators
Conversations through exchanging messages via Whatsapp, Skype, Facebook Messenger and others are economical and practical, however, they compromise concentration and productivity during work. If your professional activities do not depend on these exchanges of messages, it is important to leave your cell phone turned off and have restrictions in place to avoid chatting too much and wasting work time.
Internet browsing and personal email
An internet connection is enough to make thousands of options available. It is common for employees to access personal email, read news, visit sports and entertainment websites, search for products and promotions, make purchases, watch videos, listen to the radio, etc. . All of these activities take time and reduce working time and concentration on company activities.
Side conversations:
This is a recurring problem in corporate environments, conversations between employees can take up time that should be used for production. Small stops and conversations with colleagues disrupt the concentration of everyone nearby.
Breaks
We know that breaks between working hours can (and should) be taken, as they help workers to relax and improve their concentration, however, there are those who abuse these moments, and even use this as an excuse for procrastination. Therefore, it is important to control spending on these activities during the day and analyze whether it is possible to reduce these breaks during working time.
Noise in the work environment
In a corporate environment, coexistence with other people is essential. It is undeniable that coexistence sometimes becomes difficult, after all there are several people with different cultures, habits and education. Talking too loudly, making a lot of noise, loud music (even if it's through your headphones) can irritate and disturb your colleague next door. It is important to guide the attitude of employees within the company to maintain a healthy and productive environment.
Well, we can see that there are countless causes of distractions that reduce employee productivity. This is a problem that is the responsibility of managers, who must act to reduce wasted time. Firstly, it is necessary for the company to guide and train professionals regarding ideal behavior in the workplace and how the company expects them to behave, creating limits and punishments if the guidelines are not followed.
Most of the causes of distractions are related to the use of technology, for this it is important for the company to create a manual of ethics and good practices in the use of the internet , in addition, it is important to use some service to control and monitor the use of the Internet, the Lumiun is an excellent alternative for this. By creating rules and filters for what can and cannot be accessed, it is possible to reduce the majority of wasted time on the internet. Flexibility and common sense are suggested regarding this control, and there may be times when some resources can be accessed. It is also essential to monitor access, to know what employees are accessing, as exaggerations can often occur and need to be stopped and punished.
Without a doubt, making the team more productive is a complex challenge, but it is essential to look for alternatives so that the company becomes more competitive. But with awareness raising actions and the use of tools that limit distractions, it is possible to make the team more productive.
In the article how to increase team productivity through management , we talk about practical actions to be implemented that will contribute to productivity and reduce wasted employee time.
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