Knew it all along: Watching The Ashes at work is GOOD for productivity
A ground-breaking behavioural science study has revealed that watching the test match at the office is good for productivity – because cricket fans will find ways to keep tabs on The Ashes anyway.
A study conducted by Focaldata of 1,000 workers suggested that if they couldn’t watch England’s battle with Australia this summer they’d be checking the score as often as ten times a day.
Behavioural science suggests that each ‘context switch’ from work to an app or a new tab takes away around nine and a half minutes from employees each time – around ninety minutes to two hours a day.
The survey, sponsored by Sky Sports which is broadcasting the Ashes this summer, also suggested office attendance could fall by 13 per cent if bosses ban the cricket from screens – with no drop-off if staff are able to keep the stream going all day.
Chartered Psychologist Dr Simon Moore said: “Context switching is our tendency to shift from one unrelated task to another – whether this is checking an email, Teams message, or in this instance, checking cricket updates on a new tab or app.
“While too much context switching can hamper productivity, other research shows that having small, targeted breaks throughout the day instead – for instance when we notice a major event in the day’s play is happening – can be better for both focus and wellbeing,” he added.
Sky called on the nation’s bosses to allow staff to watch the most hotly-anticipated cricket series in years whilst in the office.
Sky Sports Director of Cricket, Bryan Henderson, said: “When we talk about the power of live sport, we often talk about connection and entertainment – that’s what makes it so special. But to now also have proof that having the cricket on can boost productivity is music to my ears.”