Wasting 2 hours daily wrestling with tasks that should be straightforward is a common challenge known as work friction.

This phenomenon refers to the unnecessary obstacles that hinder employees, leading to wasted time and energy. It is a personalized experience, varying from individual to individual, that can have an impact on the whole team or even the company itself if not addressed correctly.

To overcome and prevent work friction, consider the following tips:

• Identify work friction: Conduct interviews and surveys to understand what obstacles employees face in their daily tasks. Gathering insights directly from the employees will help pinpoint specific challenges;
• Collect data: Use data to analyze and assess the main work frictions. Concrete data provides an objective view of the issues and helps in understanding the scope and impact;
• Implement improvement solutions: Once identified, work on practical solutions to mitigate and eliminate work friction. Measure the effectiveness of these solutions and make adjustments as needed.

Work friction is a common obstacle in many workplaces, and its impact can be significant.

Managers play a vital role in identifying, addressing, and preventing work friction to ensure optimal productivity and employee motivation. By actively involving employees in the process, companies can create a more efficient and satisfying work environment and overcome work friction.

Source: Christophe Martel, 2024 “To improve workplace productivity, own your work friction: 3 ways to identify, eliminate it”, hrmorning.com, March, 4th 2024, https://www.hrmorning.com/articles/work-friction/