Biggest Workplace Distraction: Loud Colleagues

According to a new survey by Ask.com of 2,060 adults employed full-time in the U.S., the biggest drains on productivity during the workday have nothing to do with how nice the weather is outside.

“The research yielded some unexpected findings,” said Lisa Ross, Ask.com’s vice president of human resources. “For one thing, while telecommuting policies have been hotly debated in the media lately, it seems most office workers would rather be in an office, as long as companies provide an environment that provides for solitary ‘focus time’ with minimal distractions.”

Almost all of the survey respondents (89%) said they are most productive when working alone, but only 29% would prefer to telecommute. The most common distraction in the office, cited by 63%, is “loud colleagues”.

About 40% say they’d get a lot more done if coworkers would quit stopping by to chat, and nearly one in four (24%) complain that they “spend more time in meetings talking about work than actually doing it,” the study says. In order to keep “idle chatter” to a minimum, 46% mainly use email, instant messaging, or the phone to communicate even with people who sit right next to them.

And speaking of who’s in the next cubicle, if you’re a manager, consider this: Some of your direct reports may wish you’d sit farther away. The survey found that 38% “would rather do unpleasant activities — like opt for more work on their plates, sit next to someone who eats noisily, or take on a longer commute — than sit next to their boss.”