50+ Productivity Statistics to Work Smart Not Hard in 2024

Does the early bird always catch the worm?

Employee productivity is an essential metric that can distinguish a thriving business from one that is far from impressive. Engaged employees who find their work environment suitable and are actively focused on goals catch the “productivity worm”.

However, catching the "productivity worm" isn't simply about waking up early. While traditional notions of productivity were all about rigid schedules and early mornings, the reality is far more nuanced. 

Now, productivity hinges on a complex interplay of factors, from individual well-being and engagement to a company's ability to foster flexible work models and provide effective tools like collaboration and productivity software.

Understanding these factors and their supporting data is crucial. Let's dive into the latest productivity statistics, revealing insights and actionable strategies to empower both companies and individuals to achieve peak performance.

Top productivity statistics

In a digital age, the nature of work and employee behavior is always changing. To stay productive, companies must constantly adapt and transform their workplace into one that engages employees and maintains high performance.

Take a look at the following productivity statistics that provide a general overview of the modern workplace and productivity market.

• 87% of employees report that they are productive at work.
• 51% of workers rate themselves as more productive now than pre-pandemic, whereas 49% rate themselves as neutral or less productive.
• A 7.3% decrease in productivity occurred in Q1 of 2022, while unit labor costs increased by 12.6%
• Less than 60% of working hours are spent productively.
• Employees who are most productive are 242% more likely to be using AI compared with their less productive counterparts.
• A cost of $1,967 per employee annually occurs from fatigue-related productivity loss.
• 70% of employees say that fewer meetings and emails would improve their productivity.
• 27% of executives consider visible activity to be the primary metric for measuring productivity, while 19% say KPIs and achieving goals are how they primarily measure productivity. 
• Productivity decreases by 40% when multitasking, yet 42% of employees admit to multi-tasking during staff meetings.
• The productivity management software market will grow by 13.8% from 2022 to 2030.
• Only 21% of UK employees feel productive for an entire workday.
• The #1 most productive country in the world is Luxembourg.
• 3 out of the top 6 most productive countries are Scandinavian.
• The U.S. economy stands to gain $1.4 trillion if businesses can overcome common productivity barriers like checking communication channels (like Slack and email) and attending unimportant meetings.
• 95% of professionals say that IT issues disrupt their digital experience, hindering productivity and diminishing workplace morale.
• The use of automation in the workplace brings a 41% boost in employee productivity. 
• Globally, employees are saving an average of 3.6 hrs through automation.
• 77% of employees say that having their immediate team in the office at the same time as they are would increase their productivity.

Working from home productivity statistics

Remote work can be just as productive as working in an office. Many reports indicate that remote working environments show equal or increased productivity levels.

Enhanced productivity from home is attributed to several factors, including people being more willing to give extra to get the job done and how people are quickly adapting to changes needed for their company’s success. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our work-life balance, and more companies are turning to at-home solutions.

• 64% of employees believe it’s easy to achieve optimal work-life balance in a remote environment.
• 70% of companies plan to adopt a hybrid work model.
• 49% of remote and hybrid workers report the requirement of being on a webcam during meetings as a challenge and a reason for exhaustion.
• 31% of the employee productivity increase is a result of remote work schedule flexibility.
• 26% of employees report that remote work increases productivity because there’s no commute.
• Remote and hybrid workers are 53% more likely to say their company culture has improved over the past two years, with flexible work policy being the number one contributor to that improvement.
• 30% of Fortune 500 executives believe that remote work increases team productivity.
• 55% of employees say they work more hours working remotely than at the physical office.
• Only 5% of American employees worked from home before the COVID-19 pandemic. 65% work from home in 2021.
• 50% of parents with young children at home believe they’re not productive working from home.
• 61% of people believe their co-workers are unproductive when working from home.
• Only 15% of employees believe working from home is less productive.
• 63% of employees make an effort to keep their status active online, even if they’re not working at the moment.
• 53% of employees feel pressured to respond to work messages quickly, even if sent after working hours.
• 74% of employees believe that after the pandemic, working from home is better for their mental health.
• 1 in 4 workers would quit their job if they no longer get to work remotely post-pandemic, with an additional 19% still undecided.
• Only 36% of people believe the office is best suited for individual work.
• An organization with 100 employees has an average of three worker absences per day, while a company with 500 workers has 15 daily absences.

Employee productivity statistics

Positive workplace culture is one of the largest contributors to enhanced employee productivity. Regarding workplace productivity, employee engagement moves your company’s environment and success in a positive direction. Engaged employees are more likely to innovate, feel healthier, execute tasks, and be happier.

• Globally, disengaged employees result in $8.8 trillion in lost productivity every year.
• A 21% company profit increase can result when engaged employees are more productive.
• When employees are satisfied with their companies’ time and location flexibility, they are 2.6 times more likely to report being happy and 2.1 times more likely to recommend working for the company.
• The average employee checks their email 36 times an hour.
• On average, 16 minutes are spent refocusing after responding to an email.
• Companies that score in the top 25% for employee experience report 3x the return on assets and 2x the return on sales.
  
• Open-plan offices increase employee stress by 25% at the workplace.
• On average, employees spend 32% of their time on performative work that gives the appearance of productivity.
• Approximately 43% of meetings can be eliminated with no real adverse consequences.
• 63% of candidates prioritize work-life balance over when picking a new job, followed by 60% prioritizing compensation and benefits, and only 40% prioritizing work culture.
• 43% of office workers currently feel burned out at work.
• 34% of employees consider collaboration as the top motivator for coming into the office.

Adding 'work' in the workplace

Workplace and employee productivity can affect performance, employee health, and company reputation. With so much at stake, it's imperative that leaders and managers provide employees with the necessary time, space, and tools to work to their optimum potential.

It's important not to confuse productivity with overworking and workplace stress. Learn more about job burnout and how to prevent it.