A two-minute phone call can cost close to half an hour in lost concentration. At the same time, many people are interrupted several times every day. New research shows that the consequences extend far beyond productivity, affecting both the quality of the work and employee wellbeing. Here are the reasons why an increasing number of companies are reviewing how they handle incoming calls.
A two-minute telephone call can have consequences that extend far beyond the call itself.
Research from the University of California shows that it takes an average of 23 minutes to regain full concentration after an interruption. For workplaces where employees are regularly disturbed by phone calls, questions or other interruptions, this means that the real cost is often significantly greater than the time the interruption itself takes.
– Many organisations underestimate the effect of everyday interruptions, says Gloria Mark, professor at the University of California, Irvine, who has researched attention and the work environment for over two decades.
The figures become particularly interesting when they are put into the context of what today's working life looks like. According to several studies, a knowledge worker can be interrupted between five and ten times during a working day. The combined effect is many hours of lost focus every week.
Interruptions lead to increased stress
But it is not just productivity that is affected.
In a high-profile study, Gloria Mark and her fellow researchers found that employees who resume an interrupted task often work faster than before. At the same time, stress levels, frustration and mental effort increase.
The researchers describe it as a form of compensatory behaviour where the individual tries to ”make up” for lost time, which in turn risks affecting both the working environment and quality.
– When people are interrupted, a chain reaction occurs that affects both performance and wellbeing, Mark notes in his research.
Harder for qualified knowledge work
The effects become particularly clear in professions that require analysis, problem-solving, or concentration for longer uninterrupted periods.
When the brain switches between deeply focused work and service-oriented communication, a mental transition cost arises. It is not just about returning to the task, but also about rebuilding the train of thought that was underway before the interruption.
Research from Microsoft Research also shows that around 40 per cent of interrupted work tasks are not resumed immediately after the interruption. In practice, this means that tasks are postponed, reprioritised or in some cases forgotten.
The expectation of interruption affects concentration
However, according to the researchers, it is not just the interruptions themselves that affect the working day.
Many employees describe working in a state of constant readiness. The phone can ring at any time and a new case can crop up at any time. This expectation makes it more difficult to enter a state of deep concentration.
The phenomenon has become increasingly topical as working life is characterised by constant availability, more communication channels and increased demands for quick responses.
The result is that many experience a paradox: the working day is full of activity, but the most important tasks still do not get finished
Growing interest in protecting focus
The increasing knowledge of the effects of interruptions has led many organisations to review how availability and concentration can be balanced.
Solutions such as callback functions, digital self-service and AI-based customer management are increasingly being highlighted as ways to reduce unnecessary disruptions without impairing the service level.
For employers, the issue is increasingly about more than efficiency.
It is about creating the conditions for employees to carry out the work they are employed to do – without constantly having to start over.