Report: Employees spend just 43 percent of work week on the jobs they were hired to do

Average employees spend only about 43 percent of their work week doing the jobs they were hired to do, according to a new report release last week by Lehi-based Workfront. Workfront develops and markets work management applications for enterprise.

Workfront’s sixth annual global “State of Work” report found enterprise business leaders still have plenty of opportunities to help their employees focus on strategic, high-value work by implementing the right technologies, practices and leadership. The study surveyed 3,750 workers across the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and the Netherlands.

On the positive side, the survey found that most employees are engaged and interested in positive results from the wotk they do. The research revealed an invested and technically astute global workforce, where employees want to do purposeful work, take pride in what they do and crave modern technologies that help them work more strategically and efficiently. Ninety-one percent of respondents said they are proud of the work they do and 78 percent said their job represents more than a paycheck.

Results also pointed to technology being helpful in job performance, but only if it is the right technology. Adding more technology solutions doesn’t necessarily make for better work. And 42 percent of respondents said the number of software applications their companies provide actually makes them less productive.

When asked to consider the idea of a “chief work officer,” a person to coordinate people, work, content, process and performance and oversee the complete experience of working for the company, 67 percent of respondents said it would be important to them to have a person like that in their company. A similar number — 66 percent — reported their company has yet to have that person in place.

“The 2020 Workfront 'State of Work' survey shows us that today’s knowledge workers want to do important work that makes a difference for their teams and accomplishes strategic business objectives for their companies,” said Steven ZoBell, chief product and technology officer at Workfront. “This research provides vital insight for enterprise leaders, demonstrating the importance of modern work management as companies work to strategically align and equip their people to accomplish extraordinary goals.” 

Workfront was founded in Lehi in 2001 and employs about 1,000 workers in its worldwide operations. The full “State of Work” report can be downloaded at www.workfront.com/campaigns/state-of-work.