85% Say Connected Devices Make Multitasking Easier at Work

Chances are pretty good that you are reading this article while you are at work. And although your boss may not be thrilled to hear that, in all likelihood, your boss is  multitasking right now too.

We are pretty confident about this because you told us so.

In an edition of PYMNTS Intelligence’s “How We Will Pay”​ series entitled “How Connected Devices Enable Multitasking Among Digital-First Consumers,” 85% of consumers say they use their connected devices while at work.

The 2023 report, which is based on surveys of nearly 4,650 U.S. consumers, found that they spend approximately 25% of their time multitasking — or using their connected device to perform tasks unrelated to the primary task at hand. For instance, 28% of respondents told us that they digitally multitask while eating.

But it is time on the job in particular that appears to inspire the most creative forms of multitasking. As previously mentioned, 85% of respondents said they use connected devices while working. At first glance, this may not be a surprise given the digital nature of today’s workspace, but PYMNTS Intelligence found that much of the time on the clock is spent multitasking.

For instance, 38% of working consumers said they use their device for leisure or entertainment purposes while working. Another 27% fessed up to digitally shopping for groceries or retail items while during work hours. They also told us they juggled ordering food from restaurants (33%), completing household chores (14%) and caring for others (15%) — all while on the company dime.

The point of this data sharing isn’t to cause employers to re-evaluate the work ethics of their employees. Just the opposite in fact. Employers should take comfort knowing that nearly 65% of working respondents said they used their connected devices to complete work-related tasks while on the job. And the report found that in many cases, the trade-off goes both ways: 15% of respondents said they used their connected devices to check in on work while engaged in leisure activities.

The percentage of workers digitally working during leisure time increases slightly for Gen Z (the generation most adept at digital multitasking). Twenty-two percent of Gen Z respondents said they use their connected devices to perform work-related functions during their weekends.