In the modern workplace, there is increasing discussion on how to enhance the efficiency and productivity of full-time employees. A diary study from 2022 by Next Work Innovation has provided insights into the daily work reality. On a monthly basis, full-time employees lose three full workdays due to fragmentation and spend an average of two full workdays per month in irrelevant meetings. In summary, this means that a 5-day workweek is lost each month.
The study shows that frequent work interruptions and ineffective meetings significantly impair productivity. Knowledge workers are interrupted on average every four minutes, leading to increased error rates and longer processing times. These interruptions are particularly problematic in the form of unnecessary emails, phone calls, and online meetings, which have increased since the pandemic.
The study involved 637 employees from 25 companies, and the results clearly illustrate that targeted measures such as the introduction of focus times and the reduction of meetings can not only reduce overtime but also enable a 4-day week in the long term. Despite the clear results of this study, it appears that companies are hesitant to rethink and adapt their work structures and cultures on a large scale to enhance the productivity and well-being of their employees.
A study by the University of Münster and Intraprenör on the 4-day week underscores this issue. In this study, reducing interruptions was the number one optimization for 65% of employees, while adjusting meeting culture ranked third with 52%.
In summary, it becomes clear that a 4-day workweek is already possible in knowledge work; it is hidden behind the many interruptions and unnecessary meetings that shape our workday. It is up to companies to uncover this hidden efficiency and release it through targeted measures.
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