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– TEA BREAKS TOP THE TO DO LIST –
Lexmark research reveals office distractions make British workers least productive in Europe
British workers may be putting in longer hours at the office but new research reveals we are also the most easily distracted workers in Europe. The average British worker wastes nearly a quarter (22%) of the working day making tea, gossiping and planning for their next holiday amongst other distractions.
The survey of office workers across Britain by Lexmark, the printing solutions provider, shows professionals are increasingly choosing to work from home to avoid time wasting distractions in the office. The average British office worker now spends one hour, seven minutes per day working at home.
More tea?
Putting the kettle on is the biggest culprit for time wasting with half (53%) confessing to spending more time making a brew than on business, closely followed by gossiping (44%). Over one in ten British workers (11%) admit to wasting time dreaming of sunnier climes and planning their next holiday. A cheeky 11% even admit to wasting time looking for a new job!
The top five office distractions are revealed as:
1. Making refreshments – 53%
2. Surfing the internet – 51%
3. Gossiping with colleagues – 44%
4. E mailing friends – 30%
5. Reading the newspaper – 18%
As a result, one in five (20%) of British office workers now say they work as, or more productively at home than in the office.
In response to the increase in working from home, Lexmark’s latest range of home office 4 in 1’s are packed with features including professional quality printing, fast copying, colour fax, precision scanning and premium photo capabilities, to help people be even more productive at home. The new X5470 All-In-One is the ultimate home office help, with an automatic document feeder so you don’t need to waste time standing over it while it copies or faxes and can print to 25 pages per minute*.
Productivity ratings
The UK has the lowest productivity rating in Europe – just 78%, whilst the Germans are the most productive with their working day with a very efficient score of 89%.
Early Bird or Night Owl?
The research has also revealed that the time of day can determine how much you achieve:
• 8% of British professionals say they are at their most productive in the evening.
• While 3% of early birds claim to perform at their best just after they’ve woken up – before they’ve even set foot in the office!
Need a Lawyer? Don’t call before lunch!
Marketers and legal professionals are the most productive of all professionals after lunchtime. 32% of marketers and 30% of legal workers hit their peak performance in the afternoon compared to the cross industry average of just one in five (19%).
Meanwhile, in terms of attitudes towards working at home, professionals in the telecommunications sector are the most positive about the benefits, with 31% saying they are more or as productive at home as in the office of 26% or one in four.
Productivity 2016
57% of Europeans and 65% of Brits believe that everyone will be offered flexi-time within the next ten years.
“To offer effective printing solutions for our customers it’s important to understand their working habits and needs. We are committed to providing the very best technology to help today and tomorrow’s professionals to increase productivity and get the most out of their working day.” Said Matthew Yarrow, Director, Consumer Printer Division, Lexmark UK.
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Research conducted by Ipsos between July 27th and August 15th 2006
Number of interviews: 4,602 employees in France, Germany, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy and Sweden.
Interview method: Online
* In mono
About Lexmark
Lexmark International, Inc. (NYSE: LXK) provides businesses and consumers in more than 150 countries with a broad range of printing and imaging products, solutions and services that help them to be more productive. In 2005, Lexmark reported $5.2 billion in revenue and employed more than 13,000 people globally. Learn how Lexmark can help you get more done at www.lexmark.com.
For further information please contact:
Gemma Cohen or Claire Dubarbier on 0207 025 6500 or Email: gemma.cohen@redconsultancy.com / claire.dubarbier@redconsultancy.com
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