Survey Shows Meetings Are Top Time-wasters at Work

April 9, 2003
Face time isn't always time well spent, according to a new nationwide survey, which found more than a quarter of workers polled said meetings are the biggest culprit when it comes to hours wasted on the job.

Survey respondents were asked, "Which one of the following would you say is the worst culprit in terms of wasting the most time?" Their responses were:

  • Meetings that last too long - 27%
  • Unnecessary interruptions - 26%
  • Socializing too much with colleagues - 21%
  • Disorganized work area - 21%
  • Don't know/no answer - 5%

"Lean staffing levels within many of today's companies have placed increased pressure on employees to manage their time effectively," said Liz Hughes, executive director of OfficeTeam, a leading staffing service specializing in highly skilled administrative professionals. "Unproductive meetings and needless interruptions can cause workers to get behind or log more hours unnecessarily."

Hughes advised workers to be selective with the meetings they attend. "If employees aren't directly involved with the project at hand or they don't have significant contributions to make, they may want to bypass the gathering."

Hughes noted the following "red flags" that can indicate a mismanaged meeting:

  • No meeting leader. If no one is in charge of keeping the meeting on track, it could easily go into overtime.
  • Lack of objective. The meeting should have a distinct purpose, whether it's to get everyone up to speed on a project or identify a solution to a problem.
  • Lengthy invite list. Are you being invited to the meeting because your input is needed or as a courtesy? When the list of attendees is extensive, it's often because the person holding the meeting doesn't want to exclude anyone, not because each employee's participation is necessary.
  • It's part of the routine. Regularly scheduled meetings can lose their value over time. Determine if any agenda items pertain to you before agreeing to attend.

Sponsored Recommendations

3 Essential Elements for a Strong Safety Culture

March 13, 2024
Organizations globally have increased their attention on safety culture: trying to figure out what it really is and the aspects that are necessary to develop and sustain it. And...

Making the Case for Occupational Health Software

March 13, 2024
Deciding to invest in Occupational Health (OH) software can be a challenging leap for many organizations. This article will equip businesses with insightful strategies for effectively...

Fighting the Flu: Solutions for the Workplace

March 13, 2024
Seasonal flu continues to wreak considerable havoc both on individual wellness, as well as on our business continuity and productivity. Explore these solutions for protecting ...

Preventing SIFs with Digitization: Reduce Serious Injuries and Fatalities with Technology

March 13, 2024
This eBook discusses the origins of SIF prevention, outlines principles, models and tools available to EHS leaders to better detect and address SIF potential in their business...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of EHS Today, create an account today!