Badly designed work spaces, the inability to focus and unnecessary distractions are negatively affecting productivity and wellbeing in the workplace. That’s the findings from a Steelcase research report which reveals that workers across the world are overwhelmed by constant distractions. According to Steelcase VP Donna Flynn, the average worker is interrupted or distracted every three minutes and it takes them 23 minutes to return to a task after being disturbed. Findings from the work reveal the brain has finite energy capacity, and uses 20% of the body’s energy, making it physiologically impossible for anyone to engage in eight straight hours of controlled, or focused, attention and meet any quality or quantity outputs. Gavin Phillips is Workplace Consultant for Steelcase Middle East, and told ARN how work spaces should be improved.
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