The modern office, particularly open plan ones are highly prone to experiencing interruptions and distractions. These distractions can be incredibly counterproductive and annoying to the workers around them. Modern offices need to invest in solutions that minimize these interruptions in order to improve worker productivity and concentration.
Some of the most common office distractions include:
- Smartphones: adult users spend up to a day per week on their smart phones, they are thus a major source of distraction for office workers
- The internet: web surfing can be incredibly distracting. Many workers, who find they using the internet a lot, will also find themselves constantly distracted and off task.
- Talking to other co-workers: constantly being involved in conversation across the office is a major distraction, especially in open plan offices where you can so easily hear other people’s conversations.
- Meetings: workers spend a huge amount of time in meetings that are both organised and impromptu. Often they can just be sprung on people with little to no warning.
That is where the logic of the busy light comes in. These indicators tell your colleagues when you are busy and when you are free. There are numerous benefits that offices can gain from installing these indicators, let’s take a look at some.
Busy lights help to increase productivity
The primary function of these office tools is to indicate to others when you are occupied. It can be incredibly frustrating to have colleagues unknowingly interrupting your work constantly. With the installation of an indicator, worker concentration can be greatly improved. It allows people to focus on their work free from distraction. The natural product of this distraction free environment is greater productivity. A good quality busy light will have multiple settings, they will distinguish between someone on an active call, someone on hold and someone simply concentrating.
They improve focus
This improvement to productivity we have just highlighted simultaneously comes with an improvement in focus. By ensuring that you will not be distracted, the busy light gives workers the confidence and assurance that they can focus on their work. If, for example you are in the middle of an important meeting or call, an unexpected interruption can be detrimental to your performance. An indicator displaying whether or not you are busy allows workers to channel of their attention to the task at hand.
Improves service
Not only does installing a busy light benefit you, in that you can work free of distraction, it also greatly benefits you and your firms clients. Imagine what a client would think if in the middle of a meeting if either one of you are interrupted about something unrelated. It would not be a good look, and could potentially jeopardize your business partnership.
Installing a busy light however, guarantees your clients that they will receive your undivided attention. This makes them feel more important and special to your business. Your client is more likely to have a positive perception of you and your business and is thus more likely to give you their business.
Improves collaboration
Installing busy lights in your office can also greatly improve team collaboration and coordination of team activities. Because they physically indicate when people are available, it is extremely easy for other workers to coordinate their daily schedule around their availability. These indicators efficiently communicate to other team members that they can or cannot engage with them. This efficiency makes team and group work easier and quicker to coordinate.
There are many ways workers can get distracted in the modern office. Installing a busy light is a highly effective way of limiting these distractions and interruptions.