The Ultimate List of Employee Productivity Statistics for 2024

The most prominent attribute of any successful business, company, or large corporation is employee productivity. It can be defined as an estimate of the value and efficiency of a particular employee or a group of employees.

In today’s world, it is the employer’s obligation to ensure that their employees are being productive and engaged. Idle, unmotivate, and ineffective employees will without a doubt cost money. Many employers choose to use employee monitoring software to track productivity.

It’s important to note that keeping your employees busy does not necessarily mean that they will also be productive. Statistics show that office workers spend only 60% of their time at work being actually productive.

Continue reading this blog to learn more about employee productivity statistics, and get insight into the employees’ perspective when it comes to the overall work process and productivity.

Average Employee Productivity Statistics

1. The average employee is productive for around 2 hours and 53 minutes

(Voucher Cloud)

Productivity statistics indicate that the average worker who works an eight-hour workday is only productive for less than 3 hours. Other workplace productivity statistics show that office workers spend around an hour reading news.

They also spend approximately 45 minutes on social media, and up to 26 minutes looking for a new job.

2. Talented employees are 8x more productive than average

(McKinsey)

Interestingly enough, research data shows that talented employees are far more productive than the less gifted ones. High-performing employees are known to bring engagement, skill, and superior talent to the table.

These characteristics make them up to 400% more productive than any other average office worker.

Further productivity statistics on the top-performing workers go as high as 800% due to them not only being highly efficient at their job but also because they deliver high-quality work when it comes to complex tasks.

3. Employees get interrupted every 15 minutes

(Spica)

One of the things that affect workplace productivity the most is interruptions. Even though they are inevitable, they happen all the time.

Research shows that the average employee is interrupted every 15 minutes, whereas other surveys show that employees can be interrupted as frequently as every 3 minutes.

Productivity statistics also show that the average worker needs around 23 minutes to get back on track and continue working after being interrupted.

4. Freelancers are productive for around 36 hours a week

(Medium)

Labor productivity statistics show that freelancers are able to dominate each and every aspect of their workflow and workplace, making them highly productive compared to regular employees on contract.

Since they are able to organize and execute their work obligations according to their own preference and schedule, this optimizes their efficiency rates and improves their overall productivity.

5. Up to 85% of employees spend up to 2 hours unproductively while searching for work-related information

(The Economic Times)

Worker productivity statistics show that it is of utmost importance to keep all employees well informed regarding all relevant matters. A strong corporate culture is essential when trying to maintain high productivity among employees.

Research data shows that companies that encourage a sense of corporate culture and keep their workers up-to-date have 25% higher productivity compared to those that don’t.

6. Employees are less productive during the summer

(Grasshopper)

Statistics show that employee attendance and productivity rates fall by up to 19% during the summer months, which is a significant amount of lost productivity.

Other statistics also show that 53% of those who finish their work day too early on Fridays report reduced productivity and work output. On the other hand, up to 23% of employees compensate for this loss by working longer hours during the rest of the week.

7. Up to 39% of employees daydream during meetings

(Verizon Business)

Meeting productivity studies show that not all meetings are as productive as they should be, considering the fact that their purpose is to make decisions, exchange information, and solve issues.

A surprisingly high amount of employees reported daydreaming during meetings. Up to 73% stated that they do non-work-related activities, 91% of them sleep, and up to 96% of employees actually skip meetings altogether.

8. Employers in the US spend up to $37 billion in salaries on unnecessary meetings

(Fast Company)

Though some meetings might be essential, others represent a waste of time and money. Up to $37 billion in salaries gets wasted on unnecessary meetings in the United States.

Research shows that employees believe that more than half of all meetings are not necessary. Up to 45% of workers reported that their meeting calendars are overbooked, which makes them feel frustrated and overwhelmed.

Productivity statistics also show that employees spend up to 31 hours every single month on meetings that are unproductive and unnecessary.

Workplace Productivity Statistics

9. Productive employees take fewer sick days per year

(Pro Choice Safety Gear)

Companies that have highly-engaged employees stated that the average office worker takes approximately 2.5 sick days a year, whereas other companies reported that their average office worker takes more than 6 sick days a year, which is a significant difference.

It is obvious that employees who are not coming to work are not going to be productive. Research shows that employee productivity is closely related to the duration of the sick leave, as well as how often employees take sick days.

10. Sleep-deprived employees cost $63 billion annually

(Harvard)

According to workplace productivity statistics, approximately 33% of employees in the US are not getting the necessary sleep needed each night.

Since sleep is essential for work performance, many employees are often unproductive and not efficient when it comes to performing core work tasks. Sleep deprivation has been also proven to worsen employee engagement.

This loss of productivity costs US employers approximately $63 billion every single year, which is a significant amount of money.

11. Companies that have engaged employees are 17% more productive overall

(HR Cloud)

Employee engagement represents an important factor when it comes to overall workforce productivity. Labor statistics show that the highest employee engagement is, the more productive a company will be generally.

These employees have a much higher chance of scaling up retention rates and demonstrating extraordinary performance.

Further statistics show that companies with engaged employees outperform companies that have actively disengaged employees by an astonishing 202%.

12. Workplace Internet misuse costs businesses $63 billion in lost productivity on average

(SHRM)

Work productivity statistics show that the average employee spends a significant amount of time on the Internet while on their job. Activities they engage in include watching sports, online shopping, and even stock trading.

These non-work-related activities reduce the average productivity of office employees, as approximately 60% of employees admitted to using the Internet while working.

Another interesting statistic related to the misuse of the Internet is that Facebook costs employers around $28 billion every single year. Data shows that employees typically spend up to 32% of their time browsing Facebook.

Other social media platforms that office staff frequently checks during working hours include Twitter, Instagram, and even LinkedIn.

13. Highly-engaged employees are approximately 2x more productive

(Sprockets)

High employee engagement plays a vital role in any workplace, particularly in terms of labor productivity. Statistics show that higher employee engagement ultimately leads to more productivity in the workplace.

Things that negatively impact employee productivity and engagement include inefficient workplace communication, low company morale, and overall low job satisfaction.

Having a work environment that encourages a positive employee experience and offers physical resources leads to improved job performance. Productivity stats show that productivity rates of employees who are engaged can go up by as much as 38%.

14. Poor communication lowers the average employee productivity level

(FSD Service Max)

One of the main culprits for low productivity is ineffective communication in the workplace. Improving communication can improve productivity, as well as increase overall workplace productivity.

Productivity stats also show that employees can hit maximum productivity by avoiding unproductive meetings and by taking advantage of productivity apps. Microsoft Office, or Microsoft 365, is one the most popular productivity tools out there.

15. Workplace stress costs employers around $500 billion

(Spice Works)

Employees report that stress is one of the main causes of average productivity in the workplace. Those who work an eight-hour workday have a higher tendency toward being under stress.

Statistics show that up to 80% of employees feel stressed due to poor communication in the workplace. A stressful working environment also leads to increased employee turnover.

Additionally, according to research, up to 50% of employees miss one to five hours of work because of stress, which is a significant loss and can cost up to several billion dollars. Moreover, up to one million employees miss work every day due to stress.

16. Workplace happiness has been shown to boost productivity by 20%

(GetHppy)

Numerous studies have shown that employees are more productive when they’re happy. More precisely, happiness boosts productivity by 20%, meaning that productivity suffers when employees are unsatisfied.

As an example, shop assistants that feel happy have up to 37% higher sales when compared to their colleagues that are unsatisfied for whatever reason. Approximately one-fifth of happy employees are more productive employees, statistics show.

17. Low productivity costs employers approximately $1.8 billion each year

(Saviom)

Low productivity, caused by various workplace failures, costs employers a staggering $1.8 billion every single year, which represents a serious financial loss. The Czech Republic had the lowest productivity score back in 2019, with average productivity of just a little over 39%.

On the other hand, Luxembourg is the most productive country in the world. Other productive countries include Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Key Productivity Elements Statistics

18. Remote workers are more productive than in-house employees

(Business News Daily)

Statistics show that remote employees are actually more productive employees than those who work in the office. This is largely due to the fact that remote work significantly improves employee satisfaction.

It is no surprise that remote workers have better work-life balance, which significantly impacts productivity, making them up to 47% more productive compared to office workers.

Employees prefer to work from home due to the fact that they’re able to organize their own schedules and tasks. Some employees even prefer to work alone because it helps them achieve maximum productivity.

19. 60% of millennials think that having a flexible work schedule makes them more productive

(The Hindu Business Line)

Allowing a flexible work schedule could actually lead to a productivity increase, various studies have shown. Considering the fact that employees are productive for less than three hours daily on average, allowing them to choose when they work could improve this.

Flexibility also allows employees to eliminate any potential distractions. Multitasking productivity statistics show that productivity drops by up to 40% when employees are multitasking.

20. Productivity is increased by 13% when working from home

(Bloomberg)

It’s not surprising that up to 86% of employees prefer to work alone, which can be achieved by working from home. A digital workplace can help boost productivity, and it also helps people separate their personal from their professional life more easily.

Statistically, around 43% of global employees have been offered to work from home at some point during their career, especially in the past couple of years, due to the pandemic.

The benefit of working from home, in terms of productivity, is that employees feel happier in the comfort of their own homes, leading to more productive employees.

Also, employees are far less likely to take sick days while working from home, meaning that there will be less work progress lost.

21. Employees that participate in big, decision-making meetings are more productive

(Research Gate)

It’s widely acknowledged that the participation of employees in important, executive-level meetings can positively impact their overall productivity at work. It’s also been shown that participation in such meetings improves employee commitment and job satisfaction.

Allowing employees to contribute to company decisions makes them feel like they truly matter, which is a big factor that positively contributes to employee efficiency.

When you let employees take part in a big decision or change, it makes them feel like they’ve contributed or ever helped make this change, ultimately leading them to have more positive feelings about their job and therefore putting in extra effort and hours.

22. Employee productivity is increased by 70% by having a great onboarding process

(Sapling HR)

A typical onboarding process includes getting your new employees familiar with the company culture, and important procedures, as well as getting them acquired and accustomed to their new work environment.

It also includes all the promises a company makes to its employees. Employee retention statistics show that a great onboarding process can have a very positive impact on both productivity and employee retention.

23. Chronic health issues, including obesity, can cost employers more than $150 billion every year

(Hubspot)

Employers are faced with a staggering $153 billion in losses each year due to chronic health problems and obesity among their employees. All of these costs come from sick leave payments, insurance costs, and lost revenue due to employee illness.

Fortunately, there are ways in which companies can combat this, such as offering bonuses for wellness milestones, which will ultimately help their staff become more active and therefore healthier.

Other ways in which this could be achieved include incorporating daily exercise into their work schedules, providing gym or other fitness venue memberships, and even opening up a gym within their corporate offices.

24. Being overloaded with work reduces employee productivity by an astonishing 68%

(Cornerstone On Demand)

Statistics show that a lot of workers can’t manage to finish all of their work obligations and tasks in good time, which makes them feel unproductive and frustrated.

This comes as no surprise when we take into consideration the fact that the average person checks their email up to 36 times in a single hour, making it apparent that they’re struggling to meet deadlines.

This makes it especially hard to focus back on the task at hand, which results in time loss and of course, productivity loss.

How Can These Productivity Statistics Help Your Business?

The overall productivity of employees is definitely one of the most essential aspects of any prominent corporation or business. Today, it is up to employers to ensure that their employees are productive and engaged as much as possible.

It’s no surprise that idle, unmotivated, and unproductive staff will undoubtedly cost a business a lot of money, making it hard to reach and set financial goals.

Luckily, that can be completely avoided. However, it’s important to note that simply keeping your workers busy won’t do the trick.

Ensuring your employees are being produced to their fullest extent can be achieved by providing them with non-toxic company culture, flexible working schedules, or even remote workplaces.

After all, it’s well known that employees are productive for around 60% of their work time on average, meaning that there’s a lot of room for improvement.

Keeping your employees highly engaged, motivated, and productive is not an easy task, but it’s definitely attainable, especially in today’s world, where there are so many resources available to employers around the world.

Sources

1. Voucher Cloud
2. McKinsey
3. Fast Company
4. Verizon Business
5. Grasshopper
6. The Economic Times
7. Medium
8. Spica
9. Harvard
10. Pro Choice Safety Gear
11. GetHppy
12. Spice Works
13. FSD Service Max
14. SHRM
15. Sprockets
16. HR Cloud
17. Saviom
18. The Hindu Business Line
19. Business News Daily
20. Bloomberg
21. Hubspot
22. Research Gate
23. Sapling HR
24. Cornerstone on Demand

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