The Impact of Going Email-Free for a Week on Workplace Productivity

Gloria Mark from UC Irvine conducted an experiment where six employees were asked to go without email for a week. One employee, burdened by constant urgent email requests from his boss, experienced a significant reduction in interruptions and small requests during the email-free week. This resulted in a more focused and productive work environment for the employee. The physical proximity of the boss's office, just two doors down, played a crucial role in reducing the amount of tasks on the employee's plate, highlighting the social capital cost associated with remote work.