How much time do you spend per day doing non-work related things when you’re supposed to be working?
If you’re anything like a lot of other workers, it may be more than you realize.
According to a new survey by OfficeTeam, a Robert Half company, workers said they squander an average of 56 minutes per day using their mobile device for non-work activities in the office. They also admitted to clocking 42 minutes a day on personal tasks. All in all, the average employee could be spending more than eight hours per workweek on activities unrelated to the job.
Interestingly, employees between the ages of 18-34 rack up 70 minutes on mobile devices and 48 minutes on personal tasks each workday — the most of all age groups.
Is this to be expected with the increased work-life balance options that many companies offer, and more employees spending time working in the evening hours? Or are employees simply too distracted during the workday?
The line between work and play may be a little less defined for younger workers, notes Sasha Truckenbrod, branch manager of OfficeTeam in Madison. Many in this age group also grew up using cell phones and are therefore more tied to them.
“Completing work assignments should remain any professional’s top priority while in the office,” Truckenbrod explains. “However, most companies allow employees to handle personal tasks and use their cellphones for non-work reasons in moderation if it doesn’t impact productivity. It can be helpful for employees to take quick breaks throughout the day where they don’t think about work.
“Many employers are recognizing the need for work-life balance and allow workers to take short breaks during the day to take care of personal matters, adds Truckenbrod. “Workers appreciate flexibility, such as the ability to telecommute or work alternative schedules, when it makes sense for their position. More companies are considering workplace flexibility options as a way to keep overhead costs down, relieve pressure on staff, and improve retention and morale.”
How much is too much?
Quick breaks are one thing. Those breaks adding up to a full day of missed work per week is another.
Typically, management tends to think workers are getting away with more than they actually are. The OfficeTeam survey points in the opposite direction.
While the survey notes workers are averaging 56 minutes per day on their mobile device, senior managers estimate their staff members spend just 39 minutes each day on their cellphones during business hours, says Truckenbrod.
While 62% of managers think staff spend the most time on social networks when using their own mobile devices during business hours, workers say they’re actually most occupied by personal email (30%).
In addition, more than half of professionals (58%) often use their personal devices at work to visit pages that are banned by their company, a 36-point jump from a 2012 survey. Only 39% of managers think it happens that commonly.
Workers report social media (39%) and entertainment websites (30%) are most commonly blocked at their companies, though nearly half of respondents (48%) indicate their organization doesn’t restrict access to online content.
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It’s been a common workplace question since the advent of the internet — should offices restrict access on company computers to non-work websites?
Smartphones, however, have rendered the question nearly moot, as they make it simple to circumnavigate blocked sites and are also much more discreet. A smartphone doesn’t require a “boss button,” for example, to allow a worker to quickly call up a spreadsheet or other innocuous and apparently work-related screen on their desktop computer.
As businesses have become more comfortable in the online sphere and with social media, policies have also gotten more relaxed, Truckenbrod explains.
“Internet policies vary per company. Some organizations aren’t concerned about workers accessing these sites, and others may actually encourage visiting social networks and other pages for business purposes.
“However, businesses may [still] consider blocking objectionable websites or those that cause security concerns,” she notes. “It is up to the discretion of each organization to determine if and how it wants to monitor employees’ internet activity. Businesses sometimes are required to monitor activity, so managers should be sure to work with their legal and HR departments when establishing policies.”
Some companies may also choose to simply monitor web use rather than restrict it to allow professionals flexibility while ensuring non-work related sites aren’t sidelining them, advises Truckenbrod.
For employees, the best gauge for whether you’re spending too much time on your phone or computer on non-work activities is as easy as considering how effective you are on the job. If deadlines are missed or quality of work declines, that’s a clear sign that an employee needs to focus less time on non-work activities, Truckenbrod says.
“Also, pay attention to those around you. If your coworkers and manager don’t spend time on these activities, you shouldn’t either. Keep in mind that if you’re spending a lot of time on things unrelated to your job, it can be a sign of disengagement. Perhaps new responsibilities or a change in role are in order.”
Workers can use the following tips for managing time wisely at work and staying out of trouble:
- Get organized. Create an effective process for keeping on top of deadlines and schedules. Spending at least 10 minutes at the start and end of every day reviewing schedules and project lists can help to map out priorities and provide an overall sense of the workload.
- Work smarter. Think about the “big picture” and focus your efforts on those tasks that will make the biggest impact on the bottom line.
- Use your breaks. Try your best to minimize distractions throughout the day. Take advantage of your lunchtime and breaks for non-work tasks.
- Get in the know. Familiarize yourself with corporate web policies. Also, assess the culture: Some organizations encourage their employees to leverage social media as a business tool, while others frown on it.
- Assume someone’s watching. Just because nobody’s looking over your shoulder, doesn’t mean your online activity isn’t being tracked. Many companies monitor their employees’ internet use at some level. Avoid spending excessive time on the web for personal matters.
- Don’t overshare. Resist the urge to forward cute kitten videos or other irrelevant internet “gems” to co-workers, and never send objectionable content.
- Think outside the boxes. Lots of retail deliveries at the office could make your manager question whether you’re bagging all the bargains on your own time.
- Get off the clock. If there are too many personal priorities that require your focus, consider taking a day off to attend to them.
The onus for reining in non-work activities isn’t squarely on the shoulders of employees though. Managers play a key role in making sure their employees are staying focused while on the clock, Truckenbrod says.
She suggests managers use the following approach with workers who are spending too much time on personal tasks:
- Lead by example. Obviously, if the boss is spending a lot of time on personal activities, it’s easy for employees to do so, too.
- Set ground rules. Clearly outline the organization’s rules for acceptable internet use. Make sure your employees can find policy information online and/or in a company handbook. Use language that is easy to understand so there is little confusion.
- Enforce guidelines. If your company plans to track online activities, determine how it will do so and make employees aware they’re being monitored. Deem what is considered acceptable use and what is excessive so every case will be handled consistently. Also define the consequences for internet misuse.
- Be direct. Address the issue directly and refer to company policies for how to handle instances of employee misuse, especially if work-related activities suffer.
- Stay up-to-date. The online landscape is constantly changing, so you may need to occasionally revisit and edit the policy.
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