U.S. Workplace Productivity Diminishes: Survey

A national poll conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of Red Bull North America surveyed U.S. workers and exposes lack of energy as a primary obstacle to productivity in the workplace.

Surprisingly, the survey reveals, some American employees (4%) report tiring after just one hour of work. The survey also found that the greatest challenges to workplace productivity are lack of energy and too much to do.

Employed adults ages 18-54 (14%) were three times more likely than those ages 55+ (3%) to start feeling less productive within the first three hours of their workday.

In today’s fast-paced economy, an average workday is rarely confined to eight hours. This poses a major challenge for today’s workforce, increasing the need to stay alert, energized and focused to get everything done, suggests the survey.

With Labor Day coming up, the survey showed that nearly half of U.S. employees ages 25-49 may be working at lower productivity rates in expectation of a holiday break; 48% agree that their productivity at work diminishes just before, or immediately following, a holiday or a planned vacation.

Those ages 25-49 in the South (55%) are more likely than those in the West (41%) to admit that. When looking at all U.S. employees, women (47%) are more likely than men (40%) to admit this is true for them.

According to the survey results, employed Americans ages 25-49 who drink energy drinks consume about four per week on average and 92% feel their productivity increase in some way after they drink one.

The majority feel more energetic (60%) after drinking an energy drink, while over a third are able to power through their entire workday (40%), and/or are better able to concentrate on work tasks (31%).

This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of Red Bull North America from June 7-11, 2013 among 2,046 adults ages 18 and older, among whom 1,093 are employed. The survey results were released today, August 26.