Study
Transcription
Study
DIVISION OF LABOR STUDY ON WORKPLACE BEHAVIOR Research conducted by The PARAGRAPH Project 2 INTRODUCTION This study was commissioned as part of the book, Stop Tweeting Boring Sh*t – The New Rules of Work, published by Chronicle Books. While the book is written as a humorous guide to the modern workplace, the study takes an actual look into the behavior of today’s office workers. 850 office workers around the country were surveyed as part of the study. They were asked a series of questions about their behavior, beliefs and life at work. The results paint a very interesting picture of the way people spend nearly a third of their lives. 4 HIGHLIGHTS 5 HIGHLIGHTS 6 HIGHLIGHTS 3 KEY INSIGHTS PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE. NOT WORKERS. When people are at the office, they don’t change. If you communicate with them as if they are business people and not regular people, you’ll miss the chance to truly engage with them. EMOTION IS ALIVE AND WELL IN THE OFFICE. It is not a purely rational place devoid of feeling. People go through the same decision making processes no matter where they are. And business decisions often have a large component of emotion in the process. THE TERM “BUSINESS TO BUSINESS ADVERTISING” IS OUT OF DATE. Peoples’ behavior in the office varies wildly depending on their personality. Whether you’re a business selling to another business or a business selling to a consumer, you’re first and foremost a business selling to another person. THE STUDY 8 WHILE MILLENNIALS AVOID CONFRONTATION, BOOMERS PREFER OLD-SCHOOL SHOUTING MATCHES WHEN IT COMES TO RESOLVING ISSUES. Would you rather... HAVE AN ARGUMENT OVER EMAIL? 54.8% 45.2% ALL 44.6% 55.4% MILLENNIALS (18 - 33) OR HAVE AN ARGUMENT OVER THE PHONE? 54.4% 36.9% 45.6% XERS (34 - 47) 63.1% BOOMERS (48 - 66) FILTER APPLIED: Millennials (n = 193); Xers (n - 329); Boomers (n = 249) 9 MORE THAN OTHER POLITICAL TYPES, DEMOCRATS HAVE CHEATED ON THEIR PARTNER AT WORK. Have you ever cheated on your spouse or significant other at the office? YES 8.1% 91.9% ALL 14.0% 86.0% DEMOCRATS NO 5.5% 94.5% REPUBLICANS 6.9% 93.1% INDEPENDENTS 10 What’s your philosophy on posting things to social media accounts that are visible to your co-workers? WHEN IT COMES TO SOCIAL MEDIA AND OFFICE LIFE, GOOD FENCES MAKE GOOD NEIGHBORS. 10.0% 19.1% 70.9% YOU MEAN STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS RAMBLINGS AREN’T A GOOD IDEA? I CAREFULLY CRAFT MY ONLINE PERSONA AND ONLY POST WHAT MAKES ME SOUND SMART MUM’S THE WORD...I DON’T WANT MY CO-WORKERS IN MY PERSONAL BUBBLE 11 SPEAKING OF BAD IDEAS: MEN ARE AT ONCE EAGER TO WORK WITH THEIR SPOUSE AND TERRIFIED AT THE PROSPECT. MEANWHILE, WOMEN ARE PLAYING IT COOL. I would love to work with my spouse I do currently work with my spouse and I have the scars to prove it I would go crazy if I worked with my spouse I’m not married 50% 42.4% 39.3% 40% 34.8% 31.8% 30% 23.8% 22.0% 20% 10% 4.0% 2.0% 0% WOMEN MEN FILTER APPLIED: Men (n = 403); Women (n - 405) 12 % of all respondents who have Googled... MANY PEOPLE HAVE WISED UP TO SEARCHING THEIR OWN NAME, BUT MORE SHOULD CHECK UP ON CO-WORKERS. 70% 61.7% 60% 50% 38.1% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% THEMSELVES CO-WORKERS 13 What drug of choice most helps you get through the work day? REPUBLICANS ARE MORE LIKELY THAN OTHER GROUPS TO RESORT TO SNIFFING. 0.9% 31.3% 10.6% 0.5% 2.3% 16.6% 3.7% OVER-PRICED ESPRESSO DRINKS COFFEE SODA TEA NONE OF THE ABOVE 34.1% VODKA CIGARETTES BOXED WINE HIDDEN IN DESK SNIFFING MARKERS STOLEN FROM SUPPLY ROOM FILTER APPLIED: Republicans (n = 217) 14 What drug of choice most helps you get through the work day? INDEPENDENTS HAVE A GREATER TENDENCY THAN OTHER GROUPS TO SMOKE CIGARETTES IN ORDER TO CALM DOWN. 27.3% 13.8% 1.0% 0.3% 0.3% 14.9% 4.2% OVER-PRICED ESPRESSO DRINKS COFFEE SODA TEA NONE OF THE ABOVE 38.1% VODKA CIGARETTES BOXED WINE HIDDEN IN DESK SNIFFING MARKERS STOLEN FROM SUPPLY ROOM FILTER APPLIED: Independents (n = 289) 15 AT THE END OF THE DAY, MOST PEOPLE CHOOSE THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE. Would you rather... 41.8% 58.2% HAVE MORE RESPONSIBILITY WITH MORE STRESS? OR HAVE LESS RESPONSIBILITY WITH LESS STRESS? 16 Would you rather... IN TERMS OF THE BURDEN THEY’RE WILLING TO BEAR AT WORK, MEN ARE MORE MASOCHISTIC. WOMEN MEN 34.8% 51.1% 48.9% 65.2% HAVE MORE RESPONSIBILITY WITH MORE STRESS? OR HAVE LESS RESPONSIBILITY WITH LESS STRESS? FILTER APPLIED: Men (n = 403); Women (n - 405) 17 WITH REGARD TO ACCOUNTABILITY, WOMEN ARE LESS PUMPED ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF TAKING ON A LEADERSHIP POSITION. % of respondents who want their boss’s job 35% 31.5% 30% 25% 20% 15% 14.1% 10% 5% 0% WOMEN MEN FILTER APPLIED: Men (n = 403); Women (n - 405) 18 % of respondents who want their boss’s job COMPARED TO THEIR ELDERS, MILLENNIALS ARE MORE INTERESTED IN DISPLACING THEIR LEADERS. 35% 32.6% 30% 24.9% 25% 20% 14.5% 15% 10% 5% 0% MILLENNIALS (18 - 33) XERS (34 - 47) BOOMERS (48 - 66) FILTER APPLIED: Millennials (n = 193); Xers (n - 329); Boomers (n = 249) 19 MORE THAN OTHERS, INDEPENDENTS WANT THEIR CO-WORKERS TO PUT A SOCK IN IT. What’s worse... CLOSE TALKERS? 32.4% 67.6% ALL OR CO-WORKERS WHO WON’T SHUT UP? 36.8% 63.2% DEMOCRATS 29.1% 32.3% 67.7% REPUBLICANS 70.9% INDEPENDENTS 20 What do you consider to be the most appropriate work attire? IN THIS DAY AND AGE, MOST PEOPLE STILL THINK THE BEST WORK OUTFIT STARTS WITH PLEATED KHAKIS. 0.5% 6.8% 0.4% 14.3% 11.8% 29.5% 16.8% 1.2% 0.7% 18.1% SUIT JEANS PLEATED DOCKERS SKIRT ANYTHING CLEAN BOARD SHORTS SLAYER T-SHIRT LOW-CUT JEANS WITH THONG HANGING OUT BLAZER WITH ELBOW PATCHES NONE OF THE ABOVE 21 What do you consider to be the most appropriate work attire? 18.9% INDEPENDENTS ARE HAPPIER THAN ANY OTHER POLITICAL GROUP JUST TO HAVE SOMETHING CLEAN TO WEAR TO WORK. 5.7% 0.3% 10.4% 26.3% 13.8% 1.4% 2.9% 20.3% SUIT JEANS PLEATED DOCKERS SKIRT ANYTHING CLEAN BOARD SHORTS SLAYER T-SHIRT LOW-CUT JEANS WITH THONG HANGING OUT BLAZER WITH ELBOW PATCHES NONE OF THE ABOVE FILTER APPLIED: Independents (n = 289) 22 BEING PICKY ISN’T THE WORST THING IN THE WORLD. IT’S NOT SEEING THAT YOU’RE ANNOYING THE SHIT OUT OF EVERYONE. What’s worse... 40.6% 59.4% SOMEONE WHO CONSTANTLY CORRECTS OTHERS’ GRAMMAR? OR SOMEONE WHO MISSPELLS EVERYTHING IN OFFICE COMMUNICATIONS? 23 IN THESE DAYS OF CONSTANT CONNECTIVITY, INDEPENDENTS ARE MOST ANAL ABOUT GETTING EMAIL REPLIES IN A TIMELY MANNER. What’s worse... A CO-WORKER WHOSE SMARTPHONE IS GLUED TO HIS/HER HAND? OR A CO-WORKER WHO NEVER ANSWERS HIS/HER EMAILS? 45.3% 54.7% ALL 55.2% 44.8% DEMOCRATS 51.2% 48.8% REPUBLICANS 41.5% 58.5% INDEPENDENTS 24 PEOPLE ARE HAPPY TO REPORT PORN SIGHTINGS AT WORK. OWNING UP IS ANOTHER STORY. Do you personally know of co-workers that have looked at porn at the office? 14.4% 85.6% YES Have you ever looked at porn at the office? 6.8% 93.2% NO YES NO 25 REPUBLICANS ARE LEAST LIKELY TO REPORT OTHER PORN-WATCHERS. Do you personally know of co-workers that have looked at porn at the office? YES 14.4% 85.6% ALL 14.4% NO 13.8% 85.6% 86.2% DEMOCRATS REPUBLICANS 14.9% 85.1% INDEPENDENTS 26 YET, MORE REPUBLICANS LAY CLAIM TO A WORKPLACE PORN HABIT. FUNNY, THAT. Have you ever looked at porn at the office? Do you personally know of co-workers that have YES NO looked at porn at the office? 6.8% 93.2% 6.8% 93.2% 8.3% 91.7% 5.9% 94.1% ALL DEMOCRATS REPUBLICANS INDEPENDENTS ALL DEMOCRATS REPUBLICANS INDEPENDENTS 27 MEN ARE MORE AVID WORKPLACE PORN WATCHERS THAN THE FAIRER SEX. Have you ever looked at porn at the office? YES 2.2% 97.8% WOMEN NO 11.4% 88.6% MEN FILTER APPLIED: Men (n = 403); Women (n - 405) 28 WHEN IT COMES TO WORKPLACE DECEPTION, SOMEBODY ISN’T OWNING UP. Which of the following things have you done at the office before? Which of the following things do you personally know co-workers to have done before? 50% 42.2% 40% 30% 30% 27.3% 19.4% 20% 9.6% 10% 7.3% 16.4% 3.9% 14.7% 3.5% 0% FALSELY CALLED IN SICK AND STAYED HOME LIED ON TIME SHEETS FALSELY CALLED IN SICK AND GONE ON A JOB INTERVIEW LIED ON EXPENSE REPORTS LIED ON RESUME 29 IN TODAY’S WORKPLACE, PERSONALITY QUIRKS CAN GO A LONG WAY. BUT NOT ALL THE WAY. WHAT SEALS THE DEAL IS TALENT. Would you rather... 38.6% 61.4% WORK WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE FUN BUT LESS TALENTED? OR WORK WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE TALENTED BUT LESS FUN? 30 DEMOCRATS PUSH BACK MOST ON WANTING TO BE SURROUNDED BY FUN, REPUBLICANS THE LEAST. Would you rather... WORK WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE FUN BUT LESS TALENTED? OR WORK WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE TALENTED BUT LESS FUN? 38.6% 54.8% 61.4% ALL 34.6% 45.2% DEMOCRATS 65.4% REPUBLICANS 37.7% 62.3% INDEPENDENTS 31 Would you rather... WHEN A WORK ARRANGEMENT DOESN’T WORK OUT, MOST WOULD RATHER BE LET DOWN GENTLY. 29.5% 70.5% BE TOLD YOU WERE FIRED? OR BE TOLD YOU WERE DOWNSIZED? 32 BUT MEN ARE MORE LIKELY THAN WOMEN TO PREFER STRAIGHT TALK. Would you rather... WOMEN MEN 20.0% 50.6% 49.4% 80.0% BE TOLD YOU WERE FIRED? OR BE TOLD YOU WERE DOWNSIZED? FILTER APPLIED: Men (n = 403); Women (n - 405) 33 WIT AND CHARM GET LOST IN TRANSLATION WHEN OPPOSING GENERATIONS ARE THROWN INTO ONE OFFICE. What’s worse... HAVING A BOSS THAT’S SIGNIFICANTLY OLDER THAN YOU? OR HAVING A BOSS THAT’S SIGNIFICANTLY YOUNGER THAN YOU? 16.6% 83.4% ALL 24.9% 75.1% MILLENNIALS (18 - 33) 14.9% 85.1% XERS (34 - 47) 11.2% 88.8% BOOMERS (48 - 66) FILTER APPLIED: Millennials (n = 193); Xers (n - 329); Boomers (n = 249) 34 Do you personally know co-workers to have slept with other officemates? WITH NEARLY 1/4 OF AMERICAN WORKERS ALLEGEDLY SLEEPING WITH CO-WORKERS, THOSE VALUABLE VIRGINS MUST BE PROTECTED. 24.5% 75.5% YES NO 35 SOMETIMES, FANCY TALK AND A SHINY EXTERIOR CAN CLOUD OUR JUDGMENT. Do you personally know co-workers to have based an important decision on the cute accent/appearance of someone else in the office? 15.2% 84.8% YES NO 36 What drug of choice most helps you get through the work day? MORE THAN ANY OTHER ILLICIT HABIT, WE STAY SANE AT WORK BY NURSING A COFFEE HABIT. 0.2% 29.4% 12.4% 0.4% 1.8% 0.6% 14.7% 3.5% 37.1% OVER-PRICED ESPRESSO DRINKS COFFEE SODA TEA NONE OF THE ABOVE VODKA CIGARETTES BOXED WINE HIDDEN IN DESK SNIFFING MARKERS STOLEN FROM SUPPLY ROOM 37 What time do you typically leave the office? THAT MOST PEOPLE LEAVE WORK AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME MEANS THE REST OF US CAN DO WHATEVER THE HELL WE WANT. 45.6% 7.8% 4.1% 4.4% 38.1% RIGHT AT THE OFFICIAL END OF THE WORKDAY JUST BEFORE THE OFFICIAL END OF THE WORKDAY JUST AFTER MY BOSS LEAVES LATE INTO THE NIGHT IT DEPENDS -- THERE IS NO OFFICIAL END TO THE WORKDAY 38 PEOPLE AREN’T FESSING UP TO OFFICE THEFT, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO LOOTING THE FRIDGE. Which of the following things have you done at the office before? Which of the following things do you personally know co-workers to have done before? 40% 33.7% 32% 29.3% 23.7% 24% 23.7% 19.6% 16% 11.8% 8% 5.9% 5.3% 0% STOLEN OFFICE SUPPLIES MAILED PERSONAL ITEMS THROUGH THE MAILROOM STOLEN FOOD THAT WAS BROUGHT IN FOR A MEETING BEFORE THE MEETING HAPPENED TAKEN AND EATEN SOMEONE ELSE’S FOOD FROM THE OFFICE FRIDGE 39 What’s worse... FOR MOST PEOPLE, WORK IS MORE OFTEN DISRUPTED BY STRONG PERFUME THAN BY STINKY FOOD. 40.6% 59.4% THE SMELL OF BURNT POPCORN? OR A CO-WORKER’S OVERPOWERING PERFUME? 40 WHEN PEOPLE RIFF ON WHAT REEKS AROUND THE OFFICE, BURNT POPCORN AND FISH ARE THE MOST HATED FOOD SMELLS. Question: What’s the worst smell at the office? (most common responses) 41 DEMOCRATS ARE MOST INTERESTED IN STICKING THEIR NECKS OUT, REPUBLICANS THE LEAST. Would you rather... BE VIEWED AS INTERESTING AND SLIGHTLY CONTROVERSIAL? 46.5% 53.5% ALL 46.8% 53.2% DEMOCRATS OR BE VIEWED AS DEPENDABLE AND SLIGHTLY BORING? 41.0% 59.0% REPUBLICANS 52.6% 47.4% INDEPENDENTS 42 A DISTURBING NUMBER OF US LIKE TO LIVEN UP THE OFFICE WITH OUR KIDS’ ARTWORK. OTHERS THINK THOSE PEOPLE ARE DUMB. Which of the following statements best describes you? 15.6% 56.3% 20.4% 7.7% I LIKE TO HANG ARTWORK IN MY OFFICE I LIKE TO HANG MY KIDS’ ARTWORK IN MY OFFICE I ROLL MY EYES AT PEOPLE WHO HANG THEIR KIDS’ ARTWORK IN THEIR OFFICE NONE OF THE ABOVE 43 WITH EMAIL SO CENTRAL TO OFFICE COMMUNICATION, DIGITAL EMBARRASSMENT IS THE STUFF OF NIGHTMARES. What’s worse... 29.2% 70.8% HAVING SOMEONE FIND A PERSONAL DOCUMENT OF YOURS ON THE COMPANY PRINTER? OR ACCIDENTALLY HITTING “REPLY ALL” ON WHAT WAS INTENDED TO BE A PRIVATE EMAIL? 44 % of respondents who answered “yes” to: Regardless of whether or not you’d ever act upon it, have you ever thought about physically harming a co-worker? THE YOUNGER THE WORKER, THE BIGGER A LIABILITY. 35% 30% 25% 20% 18.7% 17.3% 15% 10% 6% 5% 0% MILLENNIALS (18 - 33) XERS (34 - 47) BOOMERS (48 - 66) FILTER APPLIED: Millennials (n = 193); Xers (n - 329); Boomers (n = 249) 45 IN OVERALL JOB SATISFACTION, BOOMERS HAVE A DEFINITE EDGE OVER YOUNGER GENERATIONS. % satisfied with current job: ALL 48.1% MILLENNIALS (18 - 33) 40.4% XERS (34 - 47) 45.6% BOOMERS (48 - 66) 30% 54.3% 36% 42% 48% 54% 60% Question: How satisfied are you with your current job? // Top 3 box summary on 10-point scale, where top box = “very much” // FILTER APPLIED: Millennials (n = 193); Xers (n - 329); Boomers (n = 249) 46 What’s worse... EARLY MEETINGS MAY NOT BE AS CRINGE-INDUCING AS LATE NIGHTS, BUT THEY STILL MUST BE STOPPED. 52.7% 8AM MEETINGS? 47.3% OR WORKING LATE? Question: Regardless of whether you’d ever act upon it, have you ever thought about physically harming your boss? 47 Would you rather... AT THE END OF THE DAY, MOST PEOPLE WANT A DIRECT PAYOFF, NOT A LONG-TERM COMMITMENT FULL OF SACRIFICE. 23.1% 76.9% BE OFFERED PROFIT SHARING? OR BE OFFERED A PAY RAISE? 48 MEN ARE MORE LIKELY TO GO FOR A NONTRADITIONAL COMPENSATION STRUCTURE. Would you rather... WOMEN MEN 15.1% 84.9% BE OFFERED PROFIT SHARING? 31.3% 68.7% OR BE OFFERED A PAY RAISE? FILTER APPLIED: Men (n = 403); Women (n - 405) THE APPENDIX 50 ABOUT THE STUDY This study was commissioned as part of Chronicle Books’, Stop Tweeting Boring Shit – The New Rules of Work. While the book is written as a humorous guide to the modern workplace, the study takes an actual look into the behavior of today’s office workers. 850 office workers around the country were surveyed as part of the study. They were asked a series of questions about their behavior, beliefs and life at work. The results paint a very interesting picture of the way people spend nearly a third of their lives. All the information is sourced from Division of Labor's Annual Study on Workplace Behavior, first conducted in October of 2012. If you are going to reprint anything from the study, please give credit. That’d be the cool thing to do. 51 ABOUT THE AUTHORS Division of Labor is not a government agency. So if your nanny is in the country illegally, we really don't care. We are a more nimble version of an ad agency. We provide the thinking of a creative department with the capabilities of a production company. To find out more about Division of Labor, visit divisionoflabor.com For questions or inquiries, please contact: Laura Davis 415.944.8185 / [email protected] If you want to find out more about our friends at The PARAGRAPH Project, visit theparagraphproject.com or contact: Dan Carlton 919.246.4958 / [email protected]