Work Wherever Wednesday - office worker research for Microsoft Ireland May 2012
31
A Survey for Microsoft Ireland In partnership with Slattery PR May 2012 By MOD/JOC S12-147
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A survey of Irish office workers about their likes and dislikes about office life.
Transcript of Work Wherever Wednesday - office worker research for Microsoft Ireland May 2012
A Survey for Microsoft Ireland
In partnership with Slattery PR
May 2012
By
MOD/JOC
S12-147
2
The primary objective of this research project was:
An online approach was used among office based workers. A
total of 300 interviews conducted among employees to discover
what bad habits Irish workers have.
All field work was carried out between Wednesday 2nd– Tuesday
8th May 2012.
Research Methodology
To gain a better understanding of
people’s annoying and admired office
habits and to see what employees
would like from their employer in way
of company support.
3
Profile of Sample – Office Workers
19
65
25
2928
2626
18
21
8
45
35
55
Male
%
Female
% % %
Under 25
25-34
35-44
45-54
55+
ABC1F50+
C2DEF50-
Dublin
ROL
Munster
Connaught /Ulster
Gender Age Social Class Region
(Base: All office workers – 300)
A cross section of Irish workers were interviewed.
4
25 21
35
19
23815
1924
10
9
24
9
4
8
320
7
6817
32
A quarter of the day
Work Life
Work full time
% % % %
Half of the day
Three quarters of
the day
Most of the day
All day
Public
1–5
Employment
Status
Time spend
in office
Sector
work in
Number of
people in office
(Base: All office workers – 300)
Various office based employees were interviewed
from different industries.
Work part time
Professional services
Retail
Not for profit
Engineer/ Construction
Technology
Other
11–20
21–50
6–10
51–75 76–100
100+
Average: 42 People
MAIN FINDINGS
Colleagues
7
Top 3: Colleagues Annoying Office Habits
1.
Laziness is the worst
trait in
colleagues, ranked the
most annoying office
habit
2.
Colleague moodiness is
sure to annoy others,
with it being ranked as
the second most
annoying habit
3.
Shhhh! If you want to
get along with
colleagues loud talk is a
no no!
4.
Gossiping in general is
the fourth most annoying
habit in offices
5.
Turn your mobile volume
down for a better office
space and happier
colleagues
6.
Fingers don’t belong in
noses with 1 in 5 placing
it in the top three bad
habits
7.
Please knock before
entering a room, this will
lead to happier
colleagues
8.
Radios play music,
humming is not required
Q.1 What are your top 3 biggest dislikes regarding your colleagues’ office habits? (Q.1)
8
Top 3: Most Annoying Office Habits
63
56
45
37
19
18
16
13
Laziness/pretending to be busy
Moodiness
Loud talking
Gossiping
Not turning phone on silent
Nose picking
Not knocking/interrupting
Humming
%
(Base: All office workers – 300)
Others not pulling
their weight is the
biggest dislike that
Irish office workers
have regarding their
colleagues.
(Q.1)Q.1 What are your top 3 biggest dislikes regarding your colleagues’ office habits?
9
Most Annoying Office Habits: Top 1-3
32
15
14
18
4
5
3
2
16
24
19
9
8
5
6
4
15
17
13
10
7
9
7
7
(63%) Laziness/pretending to be busy
(56%) Moodiness
(45%) Loud talking
(37%) Gossiping
(19%) Not turning phone on silent
(18%) Nose picking
(16%) Not knocking/interrupting
(13%) Humming
%
(Base: All office workers – 300)
1 – 3 1st 2nd 3rd
Q.1 What are your top 3 biggest dislikes regarding your colleagues’ office habits?(Q.1)
Laziness receives the
highest first mention
of biggest colleague
dislike, at 1 in 3.
10
Top 3 Traits Admired In Colleagues
Q.7 What habits do you admire about other colleagues? Top 3.
49% 47%
39% 37% 37% 34% 31%
Collaboration and working
with colleagues is the trait
most admired in colleagues,
followed closely by their
ability to multitask.
(Q.7)
11
Traits Admired in Colleagues: Top 1-3
21
14
17
8
21
10
4
14
22
11
17
9
12
8
14
11
11
12
8
12
19
(Q.7)
%
49%Collaborative Nature: Work with me
not against
47%Multitasking: Everything seems to be
managed
39%Presentation Skills: They sell and
present well
37%Good with clients: Satisfied clients all
round
37% Time keeping: Always on time
34%How sociable they are: Life in the
office
31%Able to defuse situations: Nothing to
see here
1 – 3 1st 2nd 3rd
(Base: All office workers – 300)
Collaborative natures and
time management are the top
two number 1 admired traits
in colleagues. While a
collaborative nature remains
the most admired trait, the
ability to multi-task moves
ahead of time management
as the second most admired
trait overall.
Q.7 What habits do you admire about other colleagues? Top 3.
Self
13
Moodiness
16%
Loud
14%
Humming
9%
Not having mobile
on silent 9%
Worst Personal Habits
(Base: All office workers – 300)
(Q.2)
1 in 6 (16%) believe themselves to be a perfect colleague, while a further 1
in 6 (16%) believe moodiness is their worst trait, followed by loud talking.
Q.2 What do you think your colleagues would say is your worst habit while in the office?
Gossiping
7%
Laziness Pretending to
be busy
7%
Interrupting
6%
Flirting
4%
* All others 3% or less
14
Bosses Belief of Worst Habits
(Base: All office workers – 300)
(Q.3)
24
21
16
10
8
4
3
Chattiness – Two ears & one
mouth
Tardiness – Wear a watch
Smoking – Die slowly on your
own time
Noise level – People can hear
you two offices over
Whining – faster to do myself
Hygiene – Mouth wash & soap
Gossiping – Save it for the pub
%
Q.3 If asked, what would your boss say is your most shameful office habit?
1 in 4 believe that their boss would
say they talk too much during the
working day. Tardiness comes
second as what workers would
say about themselves. 1 in 20 say
they are perfect.
15
Office after lunch
27%
In the car
21%
While commuting
19%
In a Café
12%
In the bathroom
10%
In the office early in
the morning 59%
At Home
46%
Meeting with
colleagues 32%
Office before lunch
31%
When with clients
29%
Employee Productivity/ Inspiration: Top 3
(Base: All office workers – 300)
(Q.4)
The early office bird does catch the worm with 3 in 5 believing that this is where they
are most productive/ inspired.
Q.4 Where are the top three places where you at your most inspired/productive?
16
Employee Productivity and Inspiration: Top 1-3
37
17
5
7
8
5
6
4
3
3
10
15
13
12
10
12
8
6
5
4
12
14
14
12
11
9
7
8
4
4
(Q.4)
%
59% In the office early morning
46% At home
32% In meeting with colleagues
31% In the office before lunch
29% With clients
27% Office after lunch
21% In the car
19% On the commute
12% In a café
10% In the bathroom
1 – 3 1st 2nd 3rd
(Base: All office workers – 300)
Early morning in the office
takes the top spot for
productivity with almost 2 in
5 giving it first mention. At
home coming out ahead at
the second most inspirational
and productive place.
Q.4 Where are the top three places where you at your most inspired/productive?
17
Boss Productivity Perceptions
(Base: All office workers – 300)
1 in 3 believe that their boss thinks them to be most inspired/ productive while at their
desk. While 1 in 4 state that bosses believe staff productivity is office based. A further
23% believe that their boss doesn’t care where the work gets done, just that it gets done.
(Q.5)
Desk 31%
Office 24%
Meetings 8%
On the Road 8% At Home 8%
Doesn’t care as
long as work 23%
Q.5 Where does your boss think you are most productive?
Technology
19
Keep
personal data
on work
machine
Bad Technology Habits: Top 3
(Base: All office workers – 300)
(Q.6)
Keeping personal information on machines and not backing
devices up are the two worst habits that office workers have.
32% 31%
Never back
up work
technology
Don’t delete
information
after use
25% 22%
Don’t secure
devices
properly
22%
Don’t care
about work
devices, they
are tools
Use work
technology
for personal
business
28%
Play games
on work
technology
18% 15%
Don’t follow
company
maintenance
guidelines
9%
Take my work
gear on
holidays
Use my own
technology
for work
19% 15%
Download
software
apps onto
work devices
Q.6 What are the top three bad office technology habits that you have?
20
Bad Technology Habits: Top 1-3
12
18
12
7
7
9
7
7
3
3
1
11
7
8
8
7
9
6
5
8
6
4
9
6
8
10
8
4
6
5
5
7
4
(Q.6)
%
32% Keep personal data on my machine
31% Never back up technology
28% Use technology for personal business
25% Don’t delete information after use
22% Don’t secure devices properly
22% Don’t care about devices only tools
19% I use my own technology for work
18% I play games on work technology
15%I download software/apps onto work
devices
15% I don’t follow company maintenance guidelines
9% I take my work gear on holidays
1 – 3 1st 2nd 3rd
(Base: All office workers – 300)
Although never backing up
technology is the 1st bad
habit mentioned for 1 in
5, keeping person data on
work machines is seen as the
worst personal habit among
workers.
Q.6 What are the top three bad office technology habits that you have?
Company
22
Habits You’d Like Your Company to Adopt: Top 3
(Base: All office workers – 300)
(Q.8)
A greater flexibility is the key trait which employees want their
employer to adopt followed by an understanding of the work/life
balance.
71
66
55
44
43
Flexibility
Understand work/life balance
Support
Technology
Trust
%
Q.8 What habits would you like your company to adopt to make your life easier/better? Top 3.
23
Habits You’d Like your Company to Adopt: Top
1-3
32
20
13
11
20
23
31
21
10
8
16
15
21
23
14
(Q.8)
%
71% Flexibility
66% Understand work/life balance
55% Support
44% Technology
43% Trust
1 – 3 1st 2nd 3rd
(Base: All office workers – 300)
Flexibility, understanding and trust account for the
majority of the number 1 traits that employees would
like their employer to adopt, although overall trust
comes out on the bottom.
Q.8 What habits would you like your company to adopt to make your life easier/better? Top 3.
24
Company Getting Real
(Q.9)
Almost 2 in 5 would like their
employer to get real about
family life, understanding that
employees have one and how
important it is. Provide staff
with constructive feedback on
how they are performing is
also important– allowing for
personal development both
inside and outside of the
office.
Q.9 What would you like your company to get real about?
25
Company Getting Real
(Base: All office workers – 300)
(Q.9)
Employers need to understand that family life is as valuable as a
pay rise – that for staff that is the most important thing. While in
the office feedback is important to allow for improvement and
growth.
39
38
26
26
23
22
20
17
10
Family life is as valuable as a pay rise
Provide feed back – good or bad
Help the team collaborate
Show trust – let me roam
Support me & my decisions
Work is what you do, not where you go
Mentoring – for me & from me
Help me work on the go – give me tools
Less travel – that isn’t a perk or holiday
%
Q.9 What would you like your company to get real about?
26
Top 3: What would Like to see Encouraged by
Company
TOP 3
Flexibility and being adaptive, thus allowing for change is what
employees would most like to see encouraged in their workplace.
(Q.10)
1.
2.
3.
Flexibility/adaptive
74%
Understanding
56%
Work together more
55%
Trust
50%
Creativity
47%
(Base: All office workers – 300)
Q.9 What habits do employers want to see and encourage? Top 3
27
Like to see Encouraged by Company: Top 1 – 3
23
14
20
18
20
30
20
17
14
14
21
22
18
18
13
74%FlexibilityTo be adaptive to change
56%UnderstandingBeing more efficient equals greater job security
and growth
55%Working together more I am interested in networking not brown nosing
50%TrustBeing given the best tools, so use them
47%Being CreativeNeed more creativity at work
%
(Base: All office workers – 300)
(Q.10)Q.10 What habits do employers want to see and encourage? Top 3
1 – 3 1st 2nd 3rd
Summary & Conclusions
29
When asked for colleagues top three bad office habits laziness
came out as the most annoying trait possessed by others in an
office environment, ranking about moodiness and loud talking.
The ability to collaborate and multitask were the top admired
qualities in colleagues.
Irish employees believe that their colleagues believe them to be
moody and loud – stating these as their perceived worst habits.
That said they feel their boss would say that they are too chatty
and need to improve their time keeping skills.
In the office early in the morning comes out ahead in the top
three places for staff productivity and inspiration among
employees, followed by in the home. When asked where they
think their boss thinks they are most productive, the majority of
Irish employees would say at their desk with little credence given
to staff working from home.
Overview of Findings
Colleagues
Self
30
The biggest bad habit that Irish staff think that they have
regarding technology is keeping personal information on their
work machine followed closely in the top three ranking by never
backing up their devices.
Flexibility and a work/ life balance are key to workers with 2 in 5
believing that family life is as valuable to them as a pay rise.
When asked to list the top three things that they wish their
company would encourage a strong desire for the company to
be adaptive to change came through, followed at a distance by
understanding and working together more allowing the company
grow and move forward.
Overview of Findings
Technology
The Company
11 Kingswood Business Centre
Citywest Business Campus
Dublin 24
T. 01 410 5200
W. www.amarach.com
B. www.amarach.com/blog
Tw. Twitter.com/AmarachResearch
S. www.slideshare.net/Amarach
