Survey: Employees Prefer More Work over Sitting Next to Boss - East Idaho News
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Survey: Employees Prefer More Work over Sitting Next to Boss

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GETTY B 090111 Office?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1368004438214Ciaran Griffin/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — Bosses run the workplace and control hiring and firing, but that doesn’t mean employees have to enjoy working side-by-side with them. 

According to a new office workplace productivity survey commissioned by Ask.com, 38 percent of staffers would rather have more work on their plate, sit next to someone who eats loudly, and take on a longer commute than work next to their boss.

The survey also finds that 86 percent of respondents prefer to work alone to maximize productivity. 

Researchers also found that the preference to work from home isn’t as widespread as believed.  Sixty-three percent of respondents prefer to spend “focus time” in their personal workspace at their office compared to 29 percent who’d rather work at home.

Additional findings:

  • 24 percent say they spend more time in meetings talking about work than actually doing it.
  • 27 percent of those surveyed prefer an “open room” or “newsroom” setting at their workplace despite noisy co-workers being cited as a top distraction.
  • 39 percent of those ages 18-34 prefer a newsroom setting.  For workers ages 45 and older, the percentage who prefers a newsroom setting is just 18 percent.
  • 40 percent cite impromptu meetings from co-workers stopping by their workspace as an-office distraction.
  • 42 percent of men prefer to work in a cubicle with other co-workers compared to 28 percent of women.
  • 43 percent of those who are single or never married are more likely to prefer to work in a cubicle with other co-workers compared to 30 percent of those who are married.
  • 46 percent say that even though they sit close to their co-workers they mostly communicate with them through email, IM or phone.
  • 61 percent claim noisy co-workers are the biggest distractions in offices.

The office workplace productivity survey by Harris Interactive on behalf of Ask.com involved 2,060 adults and was conducted in March 2013.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

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