7 Questions to Determine if Your Organization is Distracted
1. Are your employees drowning each other (and clients and external stakeholders) in endless emails?
According to McKinsey, we spend 28% of work time on email, checking it 11 times per hour. 84% of us keep email open in the background while we work. All of that checking and responding can raise stress and lower productivity.
2. How many communication platforms are you currently using (Slack, Jabber, etc.)?
Having multiple communication platforms can help with collaboration but can also drain attention from the employees’ work.
3. Do large internal meetings sometimes lose focus on the organization’s goals?
Meetings are expensive. The more people involved, not only the more expensive they are but research has found that less actually gets accomplished.
4. Are there any issues with office incivility?
This is a tough one. Research shows that if we witness or are treated with incivility, it creates a huge mental distraction.
5. Do your employees struggle with open office noise and other distractions?
Open office plans can help with both cost as well as collaboration. However, in a lot of cases, they can create distraction and even limit collaboration.
6. Do your employees know when to use face-to-face communication with clients/colleagues and when to email?
Employees are working from home and meeting with clients and co-workers sometimes in-person and sometimes virtually. Research suggests that a face-to-face meeting can be 34 times more effective than an email.
7. Do you have a Productivity Policy?
Employee distractions can be 15 times more expensive than sick leave. That’s not a typo. Does your organization offer employees guidance on how to stay focused to meet their short and long-term goals?
Answer “yes” to any of the above? We can help!
Email at Charles@CharlesChaffin.com for workshops, staff training, and consulting.
The Prolific Badge
A program designed to help employees and organizations minimize distractions and maximize productivity and creativity. This program, offered online and in virtual and in-person workshops, walks employees through all of the distractions that limit an organization’s ability to meet their goals. Topics include:
- Your Distracting Work Environment
- The multitasking Myth
- Managing Interruptions
- The Cost of Incivility
- Goals and Motivation
- Communication
- Working (and succeeding) at home
Book your organization’s workshop now! Custom programs also available. Email us at Charles@CharlesChaffin.com for more information.
Online component launching in early 2023!
Dr. Charles Chaffin 