Canadians want workspaces specially designed to minimize distraction
It’s a noisy world out there. And much of that noise seeps through the modern workplace, according to a new productivity study.
Three in five workers, on average, are forced to fend off multiple disturbances in their workspace – so much so that they end up losing focus, a survey by co-working company iQ Offices showed.
What are the biggest productivity drains in Canadian workplaces?
- Loud talkers and chatty colleagues (54%)
- Noisy recreation areas and ‘distracting’ open-concept workspaces (49%)
- Lack of a permanent desk/office (43%)
Canadians (73%) believe they could save up to two hours of work each day if they were placed in an office designed to minimize distraction.
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“Imagine what your business could accomplish if you gave the one to two hours of daily lost productivity back to your team,” said Kane Willmott, iQ Offices CEO and co-founder.
“Better work-life balance, better business performance,” he said.
Canadians rank physical environment challenges, such as nomad seating arrangements and distracting open-concept office designs, higher than other workload-related challenges, such as unexpected extra work (19%) or excessive email (17%).
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For Willmott, wellness features such as sit-stand desks and nap rooms are a better investment than noisy recreation areas when trying to boost team productivity and business performance.
Willmott’s top productivity hacks include white noise systems, extra sound-deadening materials, private work areas and office management support services.
“A mix of closed and open areas is optimal,” Willmott said. “The reality is people generally prefer this to open-concept workplaces.”