People Who Avoid Office Small Talk By Working Remotely, Can Save Up To 10 Days Per Year: Report

EFFICIENCY GAINS: As Australian companies attempt to lure workers back into the office, a new report shows it may be costing us dearly.

“Our study shows the average Australian worker engages in 35 minutes of office small talk every day,” says Dean Hoddle from UNSW’s Time Management Institute.

“That equates to six working days per year, but some people waste 10 days a year chatting to colleagues in the office about non-work related matters.”

Dean Hoddle says working from home is considerably more efficient.

“Remote work is a great way of avoiding drawn out and generic conversations about the weather or what’s happening on MAFS,” he says.

“Workers still engage in small talk on Zoom calls, but for much less time than they do in office corridors.”

Local office worker Sadie Smith (pictured on the right) says the study re-enforces her case to continue working from home.

“Not to mention all the time it takes me to get dressed, put make up on and commute to work,” she says.

“Then there’s also the time taken at the cafe near work where it takes 20 minutes just to get a coffee and a shitty sandwich.”