Survey Lists Top Distractions at Work
Tuesday June 19, 2007


Madbury, N.H. — June 19
When it comes to workplace distractions, e-mail, the crisis of the day and personal interruptions top the list.

More than two-thirds (67 percent) of senior executives and managers say e-mail is the biggest distraction in the workplace today, according to a worldwide survey of 228 senior executives and managers conducted by NFI Research.

Crisis of the day (42 percent), personal interruptions (31 percent) and changing priorities (30 percent) are the other top distractions in today’s workplace.

"While e-mail is a great productivity tool, it can become a nightmare if not managed well," said NFI Chairman and CEO Chuck Martin.

Nearly half (46 percent) of business leaders get to work early to avoid distractions.

The other top ways they avoid distractions are focus (41 percent), closing the door (37 percent), working at home (37 percent) and staying at work late (37 percent).

More managers (28 percent) than senior executives (15 percent) say Web surfing is the biggest distraction in today’s workplace.

When comparing senior executives and managers with what is done to avoid distractions, 47 percent of managers say focusing is their main solution, and only 34 percent of executives say it is.

“As a leader, it can be tough to balance being available and staying focused,” one survey respondent said. “When I really have to get something done, I will work from home or the library. Mostly, when an interruption occurs, if I need to stay focused on what i am doing, I will look up and say is it something that can wait for an hour (or whatever the time frame may be).”

When it comes to organizational size, more executives and managers in large organizations say e-mail is the biggest distraction in today’s workplace than those in small or medium organizations.

NFI Research surveys 2,000 senior executives and managers globally every two weeks.

It has chronicled the transformation of business and countless workplace issues for more than seven years.

NFI Research’s membership represents some of the world’s most renowned and innovative companies, including many members from Fortune 100 Companies.

For more info: http://www.nfiresearch.com