MessageBase, the call answering, message taking and virtual office specialists, has generated a data picture of the typical office from four years of research into office productivity. The company, which answers phones, takes messages and manages switchboards on behalf of businesses and other organisations, has created a model of the typical office day. The data was generated from the call handling patterns of more than 1,000 businesses.
The biggest jump in productivity occurs between 9am-10am. Then, workers hit their stride mid-morning for one of the most productive periods of the day, between 10am and 12pm. This is when 25 per cent of the day’s work is accomplished. MessageBase’s data pinpointed the post coffee break period – 11am-12pm – as the biggest productivity spike in the working day, with a sizeable 13.5 per cent of the daily workload achieved. Added together with the period from 2pm-4pm, these two slots together result in the achievement of 50 per cent of the daily workload.
As expected, the research found a lunchtime lull. MessageBase has found, as a comparison, that offices were 39 per cent more productive at the turbocharged 11.30am slot than at 1.30pm.
Following the 2pm-4pm busy period, comes the biggest productivity slump, between 5pm and 6pm, as employees wind down for the end of the working day.
Nicholas Ashford, MessageBase director, commented on the research.
“MessageBase has spent four years gathering research and translated this wealth of data into a detailed timeline of office productivity.”
“Our findings show that even though many businesses operate over an eight hour working day, there are some surprising peaks, as well as the expected troughs in productivity throughout the day. Peak activity is often condensed into a few key hours, such as 11am-12pm, a single hour in which 13.5 per cent of the daily workload is achieved. It would appear that in the UK, we really do accomplish more after a coffee break. “
“The productivity model is a valuable tool, helping our clients make informed decisions to gain the best value from of our range of call handling and virtual office services.”
