Summer Slacking? Korn Ferry Survey of Professionals Finds Work Productivity Goes Down as Vacation Season Kicks into High Gear
Summer.
Summer. It’s the season millions of Americans look forward to each year.
However, a recent survey of professionals by Korn
Ferry (NYSE:KFY) shows that work productivity may suffer at the
expense of summer fun.
One quarter (25 percent) of professionals admit to playing “hooky” from
work to enjoy the season, and nearly half (46 percent) say their
personal productivity at work slumps in the summer. More than
three-quarters (78 percent) feel that the productivity of their
colleagues takes a hit during this time of year.
Nearly half (41 percent) say it’s harder to get projects done in the
summer, although 44 percent believe they can personally be more
productive when their colleagues/bosses are out of the office on summer
vacation.
“Taking time away from the office to recharge and get some distance from
day-to-day work challenges is key for professionals to maintain a
healthy work-life balance, which leads to greater productivity when they
are back on the job,” said Dennis Baltzley, Korn Ferry’s global solution
leader for leadership development. “However, the pace of business,
growth, and profitability don’t take a summer vacation, so companies
need to work with employees through more effective teaming, to make sure
projects and tasks still progress.”
Nearly a third (31 percent) of professionals say their companies are
more laid back in the summer, and 29 percent say their company offers
amended summer work hours, such as working half days on Fridays.
More than a third (39 percent) of professionals say their company takes
advantage of the season by offering team-building events in the summer.
About the survey
There were 1,060 responses to the online executive survey, which took
place in May 2019. Please note that due to rounding, responses may not
equal 100 percent.
|
Survey Responses |
|
|
To what extent would you agree that your personal productivity |
|
| To a great extent | 4 percent |
| To some extent | 42 percent |
| To no extent | 54 percent |
|
To what extent would you agree that the productivity of your |
|
| To a great extent | 5 percent |
| To some extent | 73 percent |
| To no extent | 22 percent |
|
Have you ever played “hooky” from work to enjoy the summer |
|
| Yes | 25 percent |
| No | 75 percent |
|
Is it harder to get projects done during the summer months? |
|
| Yes | 41 percent |
| No | 59 percent |
|
In general, is your company more laid back in the summer? |
|
| Yes | 31 percent |
| No | 69 percent |
|
Does your company offer amended work hours in the summer (e.g., |
|
| Yes | 29 percent |
| No | 71 percent |
|
Does your company offer team-building summer events outside the |
|
| Yes | 39 percent |
| No | 61 percent |
|
Do you feel more productive when colleagues/bosses are on |
|
| Yes | 44 percent |
| No | 56 percent |
About Korn Ferry
Korn Ferry is a global organizational consulting firm. We help clients
synchronize strategy and talent to drive superior performance. We work
with organizations to design their structures, roles, and
responsibilities. We help them hire the right people to bring their
strategy to life. And we advise them on how to reward, develop, and
motivate their people.
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