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  • Concentration in the Workplace - July 10, 2024

Concentration in the Workplace - July 10, 2024

PLUS: The US labor market is cooling down, a timesheet template & more.

July 10, 2024

Time to focus! 🧠 Because we’ve got some important insights to share on what causes employees to become distracted. (Oh, look — a squirrel!) We’ve also gathered some of the latest resources and industry news to help you stay ahead of the game.

In today’s edition: 

SPOTLIGHT

2 in 3 employees can’t concentrate 😨

mind clouds

According to a report by workplace and productivity analytics platform Insightful, US workers are struggling to maintain their focus. Even though you might have already noticed this pattern in your own workplace, it’s important to know the magnitude of the situation so you can begin to address it effectively.

The numbers are as follows — out of the 1,200 employees who were interviewed:

  • 80 % reported being unable to stay focused for more than 1 hour

  • 59 % reported getting distracted every 30 minutes (or less)

  • 11 % admitted to getting distracted every 5 minutes or so.

One very interesting finding uncovered by this report was the top reason why employees lose their focus. If your guess would be social media or email notifications, you would surprisingly be wrong! 📱

Although 32 % of employees lose their focus because of emails and 62 % become distracted by phone notifications, a staggering 71 % struggle to focus because of their coworkers. That’s right: the majority of people consider their (interrupting) coworkers to be their biggest distraction at work.

Taking this into account, it makes sense that 40 % of employees report that working remotely boosts their focus. Meanwhile, 81 % state that working from the office negatively impacts their productivity.

To conclude, the report identifies work flexibility as one of the most reasonable and effective ways forward. By allowing people to work when and where they find themselves at their most productive, companies can preserve precious resources and maximize output. 📈

— Electra Michaelidou

NEWS THAT MATTERS

The latest BLS report found that 1.5 million workers who were employed in June lost their job in May, while national unemployment climbs to 4.1 %. [Bloomberg]

The tech giant was accused by the Civil Rights Department of penalizing workers for taking protected forms of leave. [HRD America]

The rule, effective July 1, increases the minimum salary thresholds for overtime executive, administrative or professional exemption. [Ogletree Deakins]

WEEKLY GIFT

A simple timesheet template ✅

If you’re trying to keep track of your employees’ hours, then look no further. Our freebie timesheet will help you keep track of times and hourly rates to make your payroll process much smoother.

Another masterful HR gift coming your way next week :)

The importance of building a nurturing and inclusive work environment is discussed in this #WorkTrends episode. [TalentCulture]

This course teaches HR leaders to identify key skills within a candidate to match the most suitable applicant to the role. [OHSC]

POPULAR READS

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Created with care by Chris Leitch, Joanna Zambas, and Electra Michaelidou.