We are all familiar with subjective working time and perceive it subconsciously. We work for an hour on a task that is not progressing and have the feeling that we have already been working on it for three hours. Or, conversely, we realize that a task is completed faster than we thought. Our subjective perception of time affects our motivation.
Subjective working time and its impact on motivation and satisfaction
Our personal perception of time is influenced by many things. We’ve all been there: when we’re bored, the seconds seem to tick slower. If we’re having fun, time flies.
Subjective working time is exactly that: our perception of the progression of time during work.
When we complete tasks that we enjoy, we get into a flow. After two hours, we look at the clock and think to ourselves with surprise “that was quicker than we thought”.
If, on the other hand, we torture ourselves with a task that doesn’t suit us at all, we look at the clock and think “that was only half an hour ago?” or “I’m supposed to do that for another three hours?”
The subjective working time almost always deviates from the actual working time in one of two directions. On average, it is 2.3 percent higher than the actual working hours. This means that most workers develop a feeling that they are working longer hours than they actually do.
This perception has an impact on the motivation and satisfaction of employees. If you think you are working more than you are, you will lose interest. Productivity and quality suffer as a result.
According to a study, a negative subjective working time increases employees’ intention to resign by 25 percent. In addition, there are increased signs of exhaustion and a disconnection from the company and its goals.
To avoid these consequences of subjective working time, there are tips that employers can implement in their company.
3 tips for a positive subjective working time
As an employer, it is possible to have a positive influence on subjective working hours.
Tip 1: Avoid monotony
Monotonous tasks are one thing. Exclusively monotony in the workplace is something else. There are employees who like to do the same tasks over and over again. But most employees want variety. This does not mean that managers have to constantly conjure up new tasks to keep their employees happy. However, employers should know their employees and be able to assess how much monotony they can impose on them.
It is the job of entrepreneurs to know how their employees approach tasks. If someone wants to do the same job all day, employers should make sure they get it. Employees who want a lot of variety should be given this variety. For example, it often helps to give employees more freedom when it comes to completing tasks. They can then organize their tasks as they wish and avoid monotony themselves.
Tip 2: Prevent constant availability
We can be reached at any time by e-mail, smartphone and chat. But that creates an atmosphere of “having to be there”. Subconsciously, employees can feel pressure to answer every question directly. The consequence of this is that people are constantly checking their e-mails or cell phones. Pressure situations increase the negative perception of subjective working time.
Clear communication rules within the company can be a good measure. Employers thus take the pressure off their employees. For example, by specifying that emails are checked every morning and then no longer for the rest of the day. Or that messages and calls on the smartphone are only permitted in an absolute emergency.
Tip 3: Prevent online addiction through subjective working hours
Based on the previous tip, constant accessibility is also linked to the fact that we are always online. This is particularly problematic because we don’t just find things online that have to do with our work. Nowhere is it easier to “waste time” than on the Internet.
In fact, the use of mobile devices during working hours in particular increases subjective working time by almost 10 percent. The cell phone is always at hand.
In order to counter this problem, it is important to promote employees’ digital skills and achieve self-management that promotes a healthy approach to digital media.
Of course, this also requires the will of the employees. However, employers must always take the first step. They are responsible for positively influencing the subjective working time and ensuring that time flies by for employees while they are at work.
