MIT Sloan Management Review Article on How Managers Can Help Workers Tackle Digital Distractions

To regain focus in an ever-distracting digital world, managers must not only give employees tools and training but also model the right behaviors themselves.

The digital distraction trap happens in businesses across all industries and affects workers of all age groups. It’s taking a toll on worker well-being. A 2012 study estimated that digital distractions cost businesses more than $10,000 per worker per year. According to a more recent report from Udemy, nearly two-thirds of workers (62%) spend about an hour of each workday looking at their phones.

The survey found that most employers are lagging when it comes to helping employees “manage the constant barrage of noise, interruptions, and notifications in order to maintain performance.” Seventy percent of workers say training would help people block out distractions. But 66% have not spoken to their managers about the need for this training, “perhaps because they feel insecure about revealing areas of perceived weakness.”

About the Author

Brian Solis (@briansolis) is principal analyst and futurist at Altimeter and author of Lifescale: How to Live a More Creative, Productive, and Happy Life.

Learn more about MIT SMR.