How much work is really being done? (Time waste at work)

How much work-time is done in your office? A survey of 10,000 American staff showed that many staff intentionally waste over 2 hours a day at work. Interesting, those born in the 1950’s waste around 40 minutes a day, while those born in the 1980’s waste over 2 hours. This article looks at where wasted time goes at work and the potential to save time.
<img src="/sites/default/files/how-much-work-time.jpg" alt="Work done" width="300" />
<!--break-->

<p><a href="http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=809">Im... Francesco Marino / FreeDigitalPhotos.net</a></p>

So why is there so much wasted time? While the above time-wasting figures sound high, I suspect the reality is even worse. Consider how much work time is wasted from the following:

1. Poor or unnecessary work processes.

2. Poorly run meetings

3. Inappropriate technology (e.g – using fax instead of email).

4. Inappropriate time on internet. (E.g updating your Facebook while clients wait on the phone)

5. Poor work load management and prioritization.

6. Information overload

7. Poor organization of stuff. Apparently, many executives waste
over 3 hours a week looking for stuff.

8. Poor time management skills or project management skills.

9. Staff who are out of condition or unfit.

10. Ill workers spreading their sickness around the office (presenteeism) or healthy workers faking sickness (absenteeism).

11. Staff lateness and extended breaks.

12. Knowledge bottlenecks

13. Insufficient or unnecessary training

14. Gossiping and idle chatter

15. Excessive interruptions

16. Unhappy staff.

17. Rework due to poor quality

18. Failure to admit and correct wrong decisions.

19. Doing work that should be outsourced.

20. Disengaged staff (ie- staff not interested in their work)

This list is far from complete. Perhaps rather than asking how much time is wasted at work, we should be asking how much productive work is actually done are work? However the potential to save time or increase productivity at work at huge. At <B>CraveTime</B> we are planning on addressing many of these issues over the coming year.

<H3>Questions</H3>
<ul>
<li>How much of your work day is productive?
<li>What are your biggest time wasters at work?
<li>What changes need to be made at your work to increase productivity?
</ul>
<H3>Related CraveTime Articles</H3>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.cravetime.com/save-time/work/save-time-meetings-%E2%80%93-run... Time in Meetings - Running time effective meetings</u></a>
<li><a href="http://www.cravetime.com/save-time/wellbeing/why-busy-people-need-exerci... busy people need exercise time</u></a>
<li><a href="http://www.cravetime.com/save-time/work/save-time-virtual-personal-assis... Time with a virtual assistant</u></a>
<li><a href="http://www.cravetime.com/save-time/work/7-tips-save-time-when-you-travel... Tips to save time when you travel for business</u></a>
</ul>

<H3>References</H3>
The time waste survey was conducted by AOL and Salary.com. It was referenced in an article <i>“Workers waste more time on Internet”</i>, Machine Design, 6 Oct 2005. (Author – unknown).