Pumping Up Productivity

Even as economic indicators improve, many employees report feeling more overwhelmed and less productive than ever. According to the State of Workplace Productivity survey conducted by Cornerstone OnDemand in partnership with Kelton Research, 68 percent of U.S. full-time employees say they suffer from work overload — a sharp increase from the previous year.

The survey, which included more than 2,000 U.S. workers, found that for many employees the volume of daily work simply exceeds the available hours in the day. More than half of respondents said their sense of overload had worsened over the prior 12 months, contributing to lower perceived productivity and rising stress.

Despite this bleak outlook, organizations are not standing still. The report identifies four key strategies that employers are using to counter burnout and restore productivity by giving employees greater control over how, where, and when they work.

1. Embracing Flexibility

Flexible work arrangements consistently emerge as one of the strongest productivity drivers. According to Michael Housman, Chief Analytics Officer at Cornerstone OnDemand, employees often know best when and where they are most productive. In the survey, 65 percent of respondents said flexible schedules improved their productivity.

Companies such as Dell and Prudential Financial allow employees to set their own hours, work remotely, or adopt compressed schedules. These arrangements are associated with higher engagement, stronger retention, and improved business outcomes — without sacrificing accountability.

2. Offering Multiple Work Environments

While open offices dominate modern workplace design, the survey shows they are not universally productive. Only 19 percent of employees said open layouts boost productivity, compared to higher preferences for enclosed offices and cubicles.

Leading organizations are responding by creating hybrid environments that include quiet rooms, collaborative spaces, and traditional offices. This approach recognizes that productivity depends on both personality and task, rather than a one-size-fits-all office layout.

3. Cutting Back on Time-Wasting Meetings

Unnecessary meetings and constant calendar interruptions are among the most commonly cited productivity drains. Housman notes that meetings and email overload are major contributors to the rising sense of work pressure.

Companies such as Dell and Autodesk are addressing this by encouraging more purposeful meetings, shortening default meeting lengths, and using digital collaboration tools to reduce the need for face-to-face gatherings.

4. Encouraging Health Through Wearable Technology

Wearable fitness technology represents an emerging — and underutilized — productivity lever. While only 12 percent of employees say their employer provides wearables, 71 percent of users report that the devices help them be more productive.

The data suggests that healthier employees are more focused, energized, and engaged. Notably, 80 percent of employees say they would be willing to use employer-provided wearables, often motivated by incentives such as reduced health insurance premiums or wellness challenges.

The broader takeaway is clear: productivity gains are increasingly driven by autonomy, trust, and well-being rather than tighter control. As younger, digitally native workers make up a growing share of the workforce, these trends toward flexibility, personalization, and self-managed productivity are likely to accelerate.