A new survey by Codex Office Solutions, Ireland’s leading B2B office supplies and solutions provider, reveals the growing challenge of workplace distractions in the era of hybrid working. The study, conducted among 500 Irish office workers, sheds light on how interruptions impact productivity and what employees are doing to maintain focus.
The Codex survey highlights the main culprits of workplace distractions:
Receiving phone calls topped the list, distracting 42% of office workers
Background noise (41% ) and colleague interruptions (40% ) also cause major work disruption
Receiving emails (28% ) and social media notifications (27% ) round out the key disruptors
While the majority (67% ) of hybrid workers still experience the most distractions in the shared workplace, they also face unique challenges when working remotely. Household chores such as laundry and cleaning topped the polls as the biggest disruptor for 41% of hybrid workers, followed by looking after children or pets (30% ), and cooking or preparing meals (30% ).
62% of workers admit to spending more than 15 minutes every day on non-work-related activities during office hours. Nearly half (46% ) of respondents report that workplace distractions at least slightly affect their productivity, while 38% say they moderately or significantly impact their workflow.
Personal technology such as smartphones can also be problematic for workers’ productivity, with 74% admitting to being distracted by devices at least once in the working day: 1 in 5 lose focus at least once every hour while 1 in 10 admit to being distracted by personal technology multiple times an hour.
To combat distractions, Irish workers are turning to various strategies:
Taking regular breaks (57% ) and changing work environments (19% ) help many regain focus
Noise-cancelling headphones (20% ) and time management apps (12% ) are popular anti-disruption tools
Setting boundaries with colleagues (34% ) and using ‘Do not disturb’ settings (41% ) on personal technology are also effective measures
Codex’s findings highlight the importance of dedicated spaces for focus in Irish offices. 56% of Irish workers report a lack of access to quiet spaces, with 28% saying that a quiet space would boost their workplace productivity.
Solutions to boost employee focus, productivity
“We live in a distracted world and this survey really highlights the scale and sources of disruption in today’s workplace, especially in hybrid working environments,” said Patrick Murphy, CEO of Codex.
“At Codex, we offer a range of technological, physical and other solutions that can help businesses create more focussed and productive environments for their employees,” Mr Murphy said. “We work with all sorts of organisations to maximise employee engagement, which is a major driver of success in today’s challenging work landscape.”
Codex supplies a range of workplace tools designed to help businesses combat distractions, from noise-cancelling headphones to ergonomic office setups, helping employees create productive work environments both in-office and at home.
