Steve Thomas - IT Consultant

BusinessIntelligence_Jul21_BData visualizations, when done properly, are the best and easiest way for us to understand a vast amount of information. Businesses are able to utilize data visualizations to great advantage, from summarizing annual sales report to visualizing marketing strategies in an easy-to-understand format, and much more. A poorly presented visualization, however, can not only show misleading information, but it might also confuse business users into making wrong decisions. Make sure you don’t fall victim to these common data visualization mistakes.

Inconsistent visualizations

It’s important to be consistent when presenting your data, otherwise users will have to stop and figure out how to read each new picture before they can comprehend what it says, wasting time and defeating the purpose of data visualization. Luckily, there are some best practices you can follow. For instance, try choosing colors that go well together. Use only 2-3 colors at most throughout your visualization – any more and you’ll find that your pictures might be hard to read. Also, use the same iconography and typography in each picture so your audience can quickly understand the information.

Displaying too much data

Overly complicated data visualizations are sure to turn off most audiences because they can’t figure out where and what to focus on. Your customers, colleagues, and employers want specific, relevant answers. The quicker you can deliver those answers, the better. Irrelevant data gives your presentation a cluttered look, making finding relevant information more difficult for readers. The solution? Find a compromise between showing too much data and not showing enough overall. Use good judgement.

Oversimplifying data

The purpose of data visualization is to present data in a way that’s easy to understand. While it’s all too easy to simplify data, if you go too far and leave out crucial parts, your audiences won’t be able to see or grasp the main point of the presentation. Instead of trying to oversimplify data, it’s better to include all important criteria and organize them into a structure so audiences can easily understand what’s being presented to them.

Choosing the wrong visualization

This is one of the most common mistakes made in data visualization. There are many different types of data out there, and each of those types require different analytics and tools to use. For example, if you want to present a sales growth comparison in the last 5 years, it’s better to use bar charts that can clearly show the difference at a glance. If you want to show a relationship between two metrics, on the other hand, you should use a scatter chart to show results.

The best way to avoid all these errors is to focus on your goals first. It’s likely that you’ll have to make changes along the way, which is actually a good thing, because it will make your presentation more accurate and effective.

Want to learn more about other business intelligence tools to implement in your company? Give us a call today.

BusinessIntelligence_Jul21_COne of the best ways to present complex business data and reports is visualization. Good data visualization can significantly help users to take in a vast amount of information in a short period of time. But of course, not everyone is a data visualization expert, which is why much of the visual content we see nowadays is often ineffective and jam-packed with information. If you’re looking to create great data visualization that appeals to readers, make sure to avoid these data visualization pitfalls.

Inconsistent visualizations

It’s important to be consistent when presenting your data, otherwise users will have to stop and figure out how to read each new picture before they can comprehend what it says, wasting time and defeating the purpose of data visualization. Luckily, there are some best practices you can follow. For instance, try choosing colors that go well together. Use only 2-3 colors at most throughout your visualization – any more and you’ll find that your pictures might be hard to read. Also, use the same iconography and typography in each picture so your audience can quickly understand the information.

Displaying too much data

Overly complicated data visualizations are sure to turn off most audiences because they can’t figure out where and what to focus on. Your customers, colleagues, and employers want specific, relevant answers. The quicker you can deliver those answers, the better. Irrelevant data gives your presentation a cluttered look, making finding relevant information more difficult for readers. The solution? Find a compromise between showing too much data and not showing enough overall. Use good judgement.

Oversimplifying data

The purpose of data visualization is to present data in a way that’s easy to understand. While it’s all too easy to simplify data, if you go too far and leave out crucial parts, your audiences won’t be able to see or grasp the main point of the presentation. Instead of trying to oversimplify data, it’s better to include all important criteria and organize them into a structure so audiences can easily understand what’s being presented to them.

Choosing the wrong visualization

This is one of the most common mistakes made in data visualization. There are many different types of data out there, and each of those types require different analytics and tools to use. For example, if you want to present a sales growth comparison in the last 5 years, it’s better to use bar charts that can clearly show the difference at a glance. If you want to show a relationship between two metrics, on the other hand, you should use a scatter chart to show results.

The best way to avoid all these errors is to focus on your goals first. It’s likely that you’ll have to make changes along the way, which is actually a good thing, because it will make your presentation more accurate and effective.

Want to learn more about other business intelligence tools to implement in your company? Give us a call today.

BusinessIntelligence_Jul21_AData visualizations are common in business presentations today. They can provide us an overview of information and results in a simple and easily digestible way. Good data visualization helps users to understand data in order to make informed decisions based on the findings. Bad data visualization, on the other hand, will provide little to no value for readers and make complex data even more difficult to comprehend. With that said, you can present data in a better way by avoiding these common mistakes.

Inconsistent visualizations

It’s important to be consistent when presenting your data, otherwise users will have to stop and figure out how to read each new picture before they can comprehend what it says, wasting time and defeating the purpose of data visualization. Luckily, there are some best practices you can follow. For instance, try choosing colors that go well together. Use only 2-3 colors at most throughout your visualization – any more and you’ll find that your pictures might be hard to read. Also, use the same iconography and typography in each picture so your audience can quickly understand the information.

Displaying too much data

Overly complicated data visualizations are sure to turn off most audiences because they can’t figure out where and what to focus on. Your customers, colleagues, and employers want specific, relevant answers. The quicker you can deliver those answers, the better. Irrelevant data gives your presentation a cluttered look, making finding relevant information more difficult for readers. The solution? Find a compromise between showing too much data and not showing enough overall. Use good judgement.

Oversimplifying data

The purpose of data visualization is to present data in a way that’s easy to understand. While it’s all too easy to simplify data, if you go too far and leave out crucial parts, your audiences won’t be able to see or grasp the main point of the presentation. Instead of trying to oversimplify data, it’s better to include all important criteria and organize them into a structure so audiences can easily understand what’s being presented to them.

Choosing the wrong visualization

This is one of the most common mistakes made in data visualization. There are many different types of data out there, and each of those types require different analytics and tools to use. For example, if you want to present a sales growth comparison in the last 5 years, it’s better to use bar charts that can clearly show the difference at a glance. If you want to show a relationship between two metrics, on the other hand, you should use a scatter chart to show results.

The best way to avoid all these errors is to focus on your goals first. It’s likely that you’ll have to make changes along the way, which is actually a good thing, because it will make your presentation more accurate and effective.

Want to learn more about other business intelligence tools to implement in your company? Give us a call today.

iPad_Jul17_CThe new iOS 9 is coming soon, according to Apple’s announcement in their annual Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC). The tech giant has made several additions and changes to iOS 9 in order to deliver a more convenient, personalized user experience. This new release introduces a handful of special features exclusively to the latest iPad models. Here’s all you need to know about the new iOS 9.

Design changes

There’s a minor change in the typography, where Apple has replaced the ‘Helvetica Neue’ system font with a font called ‘San Francisco’. Apple also deploys its typography in a clearer way, with more space around the lettering. Although these are subtle changes, the new font should be easier to read as well as remaining easy on the eye.

Interface changes

Following complaints from users, Apple has made a small modification to its ambiguous Shift key system. The former version is hard to use, since only a change in the Shift key’s color indicated the letter’s case change – when it’s on, it looks off and when it’s off, it looks on. When you press the new Shift key, however, all the letters on the screen will change to uppercase. This will put an end to the frustration at having to delete letters because you mistakenly type an uppercase letter instead of a lowercase one, and vice versa.

The new features

Apple has revealed a number of new features in the WWDC, and has released a public beta of iOS 9 for developers to test drive its capabilities. Here are some of the new features that Apple users can benefit from.

  • Split View – This long-awaited feature is exclusively available on iPads. iOS 9 finally allows two applications to coexist on one display, making multitasking possible. You can activate Split View simply by swiping inwards from the right hand side, and you’ll be offered a range of apps that can run in the activated sidebar. You can have your email stay on the side while you browse for information in Safari, or catch up on the latest news. The possibilities are endless!
  • Picture in Picture – While using a live video chat or watching a video, you can press the Home button to activate this feature and scale down your video screen to a corner of your display. You can now chat with your friends or watch your favorite shows while you reply to emails. What’s more, you can move the video screen to wherever you prefer with a swipe, adjust the size by pinching, and close the screen by tapping the close button.
  • On-screen Trackpad – The default keyboard that pops up when you type on-screen is now equipped with an extra function. Now you can hold two fingers down on the keyboard to turn it into a trackpad, which allows you to easily navigate through the text without having to tap the exact spot on the screen. This makes document navigation much faster, especially when writing or replying to emails.
  • News app – This fresh addition will draw news stories from various sources that you can choose, from Daily Mail to Bloomberg Business, CNN, The New York Times, and more. The News app is intelligent; it is able to learn about your interests based on what you are reading, and will show you articles from sources you didn’t select if they match your interests. So basically, the more you read, the more personalized your news becomes.

When will it be available?

For Apple fans, and especially iPad users, the new features alone in iOS 9 are worth waiting for. The first public beta testing version of iOS 9 is available now, and Apple will most likely release the final version of the software in September 2015.

With the new iOS 9 release, iPad business users can be more productive than ever. Want to learn how to best implement the iPad in your business? Get in touch today.

iPad_Jul17_BApple holds their Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) each year to introduce their new products and platforms. This year, the tech giant has announced the arrival of the latest iOS version, which contains several application additions and revamps, as well as changes to design and interface. The new iOS 9 is coming soon to all Apple mobile devices, and iPad users seem to benefit most from this release – here’s what you need to know.

Design changes

There’s a minor change in the typography, where Apple has replaced the ‘Helvetica Neue’ system font with a font called ‘San Francisco’. Apple also deploys its typography in a clearer way, with more space around the lettering. Although these are subtle changes, the new font should be easier to read as well as remaining easy on the eye.

Interface changes

Following complaints from users, Apple has made a small modification to its ambiguous Shift key system. The former version is hard to use, since only a change in the Shift key’s color indicated the letter’s case change – when it’s on, it looks off and when it’s off, it looks on. When you press the new Shift key, however, all the letters on the screen will change to uppercase. This will put an end to the frustration at having to delete letters because you mistakenly type an uppercase letter instead of a lowercase one, and vice versa.

The new features

Apple has revealed a number of new features in the WWDC, and has released a public beta of iOS 9 for developers to test drive its capabilities. Here are some of the new features that Apple users can benefit from.

  • Split View – This long-awaited feature is exclusively available on iPads. iOS 9 finally allows two applications to coexist on one display, making multitasking possible. You can activate Split View simply by swiping inwards from the right hand side, and you’ll be offered a range of apps that can run in the activated sidebar. You can have your email stay on the side while you browse for information in Safari, or catch up on the latest news. The possibilities are endless!
  • Picture in Picture – While using a live video chat or watching a video, you can press the Home button to activate this feature and scale down your video screen to a corner of your display. You can now chat with your friends or watch your favorite shows while you reply to emails. What’s more, you can move the video screen to wherever you prefer with a swipe, adjust the size by pinching, and close the screen by tapping the close button.
  • On-screen Trackpad – The default keyboard that pops up when you type on-screen is now equipped with an extra function. Now you can hold two fingers down on the keyboard to turn it into a trackpad, which allows you to easily navigate through the text without having to tap the exact spot on the screen. This makes document navigation much faster, especially when writing or replying to emails.
  • News app – This fresh addition will draw news stories from various sources that you can choose, from Daily Mail to Bloomberg Business, CNN, The New York Times, and more. The News app is intelligent; it is able to learn about your interests based on what you are reading, and will show you articles from sources you didn’t select if they match your interests. So basically, the more you read, the more personalized your news becomes.

When will it be available?

For Apple fans, and especially iPad users, the new features alone in iOS 9 are worth waiting for. The first public beta testing version of iOS 9 is available now, and Apple will most likely release the final version of the software in September 2015.

With the new iOS 9 release, iPad business users can be more productive than ever. Want to learn how to best implement the iPad in your business? Get in touch today.

iPad_Jul17_AFor iPad fans, the most anticipated event of the year is when Apple holds their annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). Apple announced at WWDC this year in June the release of their new products and platforms, including the big update of iOS 9. There’s a lot to look forward to in the upcoming update, including design and interface changes, and exciting new features. Here’s the lowdown on the tech giant’s new release.

Design changes

There’s a minor change in the typography, where Apple has replaced the ‘Helvetica Neue’ system font with a font called ‘San Francisco’. Apple also deploys its typography in a clearer way, with more space around the lettering. Although these are subtle changes, the new font should be easier to read as well as remaining easy on the eye.

Interface changes

Following complaints from users, Apple has made a small modification to its ambiguous Shift key system. The former version is hard to use, since only a change in the Shift key’s color indicated the letter’s case change – when it’s on, it looks off and when it’s off, it looks on. When you press the new Shift key, however, all the letters on the screen will change to uppercase. This will put an end to the frustration at having to delete letters because you mistakenly type an uppercase letter instead of a lowercase one, and vice versa.

The new features

Apple has revealed a number of new features in the WWDC, and has released a public beta of iOS 9 for developers to test drive its capabilities. Here are some of the new features that Apple users can benefit from.

  • Split View – This long-awaited feature is exclusively available on iPads. iOS 9 finally allows two applications to coexist on one display, making multitasking possible. You can activate Split View simply by swiping inwards from the right hand side, and you’ll be offered a range of apps that can run in the activated sidebar. You can have your email stay on the side while you browse for information in Safari, or catch up on the latest news. The possibilities are endless!
  • Picture in Picture – While using a live video chat or watching a video, you can press the Home button to activate this feature and scale down your video screen to a corner of your display. You can now chat with your friends or watch your favorite shows while you reply to emails. What’s more, you can move the video screen to wherever you prefer with a swipe, adjust the size by pinching, and close the screen by tapping the close button.
  • On-screen Trackpad – The default keyboard that pops up when you type on-screen is now equipped with an extra function. Now you can hold two fingers down on the keyboard to turn it into a trackpad, which allows you to easily navigate through the text without having to tap the exact spot on the screen. This makes document navigation much faster, especially when writing or replying to emails.
  • News app – This fresh addition will draw news stories from various sources that you can choose, from Daily Mail to Bloomberg Business, CNN, The New York Times, and more. The News app is intelligent; it is able to learn about your interests based on what you are reading, and will show you articles from sources you didn’t select if they match your interests. So basically, the more you read, the more personalized your news becomes.

When will it be available?

For Apple fans, and especially iPad users, the new features alone in iOS 9 are worth waiting for. The first public beta testing version of iOS 9 is available now, and Apple will most likely release the final version of the software in September 2015.

With the new iOS 9 release, iPad business users can be more productive than ever. Want to learn how to best implement the iPad in your business? Get in touch today.

164_C_O365If you’ve recently been thinking about signing up for an Office 365 suite or are a current user, Microsoft made a recent announcement concerning their E4 plan that will have a direct impact on the service. Before the year’s end, the tech giant will phase out their E4 package entirely and replace it with a new, upgraded version known as E5. How will this affect you? Read on to learn more.

What’s included in E5?

According to Microsoft’s Office Blogs July 13th post, the tech giant announced that the E5 plan will include the following new capabilities:

  • Skype for Business services with support for features including Cloud PBX and PSTN Conferencing
  • Analytic features such as Delve Organizational Analytics and Power BI Pro
  • Advanced security features like Customer Lockbox, eDiscovery, Advanced Threat Protection and Data Loss Protection

With these new service offerings, Microsoft believes that business owners will be able to reach new customers and increase value for their existing ones.

The cost?

While Microsoft’s Office 365 current E4 package costs $22 a month in the US, there was no official announcement of the price for the E5 version.

However, since E5 will include services such as Advanced Threat Protection, which currently costs an additional $2 per user/month, as well as Power BI Pro, which is priced at $9.99 per user/month, a price increase seems inevitable – and very well could be significant.

Your options

Because E4 will be retired when E5 is released, that means that current E4 users will have to either upgrade to E5, or change to E3 plus Cloud PBX.

For those who have yet to sign up for Office 365, however, you’ll also have the additional options to choose an E1 or E3 package with available upgrades.

Is it worth it to upgrade to E5?

That all depends on your business, and likely the price of the upgrade. However, the question you need to ask is, “will the new capabilities enhance your organization enough to justify the higher cost? If you need additional help understanding how E5’s new features and capabilities can create value in your business, we’re happy to assist you.

Curious to learn more about the Office 365 E5 package? Get your questions answered, and give us a call today.

164_B_O365Microsoft recently announced its plans to phase out their current Office 365 E4 suite and replace it with a new, premium package known as E5. While a release date has yet to be specified, Microsoft has stated that they intend to make the product available by the end of this year. What does this mean for current E4 users and those thinking about signing up for an Office 365 package? Well, get the full scoop below.

What’s included in E5?

According to Microsoft’s Office Blogs July 13th post, the tech giant announced that the E5 plan will include the following new capabilities:

  • Skype for Business services with support for features including Cloud PBX and PSTN Conferencing
  • Analytic features such as Delve Organizational Analytics and Power BI Pro
  • Advanced security features like Customer Lockbox, eDiscovery, Advanced Threat Protection and Data Loss Protection

With these new service offerings, Microsoft believes that business owners will be able to reach new customers and increase value for their existing ones.

The cost?

While Microsoft’s Office 365 current E4 package costs $22 a month in the US, there was no official announcement of the price for the E5 version.

However, since E5 will include services such as Advanced Threat Protection, which currently costs an additional $2 per user/month, as well as Power BI Pro, which is priced at $9.99 per user/month, a price increase seems inevitable – and very well could be significant.

Your options

Because E4 will be retired when E5 is released, that means that current E4 users will have to either upgrade to E5, or change to E3 plus Cloud PBX.

For those who have yet to sign up for Office 365, however, you’ll also have the additional options to choose an E1 or E3 package with available upgrades.

Is it worth it to upgrade to E5?

That all depends on your business, and likely the price of the upgrade. However, the question you need to ask is, “will the new capabilities enhance your organization enough to justify the higher cost? If you need additional help understanding how E5’s new features and capabilities can create value in your business, we’re happy to assist you.

Curious to learn more about the Office 365 E5 package? Get your questions answered, and give us a call today.

164_A_O365Earlier this month, Microsoft announced they’ll be replacing their current E4 Office 365 suite with the new upgrade – E5. With an unspecified release date for later this year, E5 will have a direct effect on current E4 users and those who are thinking about signing up for a new Office 365 package. Here’s what you need to know about this new version, and how it could impact your business.

What’s included in E5?

According to Microsoft’s Office Blogs July 13th post, the tech giant announced that the E5 plan will include the following new capabilities:

  • Skype for Business services with support for features including Cloud PBX and PSTN Conferencing
  • Analytic features such as Delve Organizational Analytics and Power BI Pro
  • Advanced security features like Customer Lockbox, eDiscovery, Advanced Threat Protection and Data Loss Protection

With these new service offerings, Microsoft believes that business owners will be able to reach new customers and increase value for their existing ones.

The cost?

While Microsoft’s Office 365 current E4 package costs $22 a month in the US, there was no official announcement of the price for the E5 version.

However, since E5 will include services such as Advanced Threat Protection, which currently costs an additional $2 per user/month, as well as Power BI Pro, which is priced at $9.99 per user/month, a price increase seems inevitable – and very well could be significant.

Your options

Because E4 will be retired when E5 is released, that means that current E4 users will have to either upgrade to E5, or change to E3 plus Cloud PBX.

For those who have yet to sign up for Office 365, however, you’ll also have the additional options to choose an E1 or E3 package with available upgrades.

Is it worth it to upgrade to E5?

That all depends on your business, and likely the price of the upgrade. However, the question you need to ask is, “will the new capabilities enhance your organization enough to justify the higher cost? If you need additional help understanding how E5’s new features and capabilities can create value in your business, we’re happy to assist you.

Curious to learn more about the Office 365 E5 package? Get your questions answered, and give us a call today.

164_Prod_AIt’s easy for anyone to speculate about what the top productivity killers are for today’s workforce. What may come to mind first are distractions such as email, social media, or the personal problems of employees. But last month in a new survey of 2,175 hiring and human resources managers, CareerBuilder revealed what some of the real issues are. The results are a mix of obvious distractions and surprising revelations.

Here are the top 10 productivity busters according to CareerBuilder’s June 2015 survey.

  1. 52% – Cellphones & texting
  2. 44% – Internet
  3. 37% – Gossip
  4. 36% – Social media
  5. 31% – Email
  6. 27% – Coworkers chatting
  7. 26% – Meetings
  8. 27% – Snack and/or smoke breaks
  9. 17% – Loud coworkers
  10. 10% – Sitting in a cubicle

Why are these findings a big deal?

According to the managers who took the survey, the consequences of these distractions can be pretty severe. A few examples they gave were lower quality of work, dissatisfied employees who have to pick up the slack of lower performers, missed deadlines, and even loss of revenue.

So how do you prevent these productivity killers from disrupting your business?

The chief human resources officer at CareerBuilder mentioned that one of the most effective ways to increase productivity is to simply take a break, which may come as quite a surprise since “Snack and/or smoke breaks” is listed as number 8 for productivity killers.

However, it should be noted that not all breaks are created equal. Listening to loud music or getting caught up in gossip on social media may not actually give employees the sense of rejuvenation they need when they return to work. They key is for staff members to take a break that will re-energize and give them a fresh focus. Some suggestions are to simply take a walk or perform some form of light exercise or stretching.

On a more humorous note, the survey also revealed some of the more unusual non-work activities employees partook in while on the clock. Employers reportedly found their staff doing everything from taking a nap on the CEO’s couch, searching for a mail order bride, and even taking a sponge bath in the restroom sink.

Want more tips on how to boost employee productivity. Curious to see how technology can help? Send us a message today.

164_Prod_BPeople like to speculate about what the most disruptive productivity killers are in offices around the country, but do they really have a clue? It’s easy to point fingers at email, social media, or lack of discipline as sources of common distractions, but what are the real issues? In a survey of 2,175 hiring and human resource managers released by CareerBuilder last month, the true sources of lost productivity on the job are revealed.

Here are the top 10 productivity busters according to CareerBuilder’s June 2015 survey.

  1. 52% – Cellphones & texting
  2. 44% – Internet
  3. 37% – Gossip
  4. 36% – Social media
  5. 31% – Email
  6. 27% – Coworkers chatting
  7. 26% – Meetings
  8. 27% – Snack and/or smoke breaks
  9. 17% – Loud coworkers
  10. 10% – Sitting in a cubicle

Why are these findings a big deal?

According to the managers who took the survey, the consequences of these distractions can be pretty severe. A few examples they gave were lower quality of work, dissatisfied employees who have to pick up the slack of lower performers, missed deadlines, and even loss of revenue.

So how do you prevent these productivity killers from disrupting your business?

The chief human resources officer at CareerBuilder mentioned that one of the most effective ways to increase productivity is to simply take a break, which may come as quite a surprise since “Snack and/or smoke breaks” is listed as number 8 for productivity killers.

However, it should be noted that not all breaks are created equal. Listening to loud music or getting caught up in gossip on social media may not actually give employees the sense of rejuvenation they need when they return to work. They key is for staff members to take a break that will re-energize and give them a fresh focus. Some suggestions are to simply take a walk or perform some form of light exercise or stretching.

On a more humorous note, the survey also revealed some of the more unusual non-work activities employees partook in while on the clock. Employers reportedly found their staff doing everything from taking a nap on the CEO’s couch, searching for a mail order bride, and even taking a sponge bath in the restroom sink.

Want more tips on how to boost employee productivity. Curious to see how technology can help? Send us a message today.

164_Prod_CWith so much technology being utilized in the workspace today, it’s obvious that it has become a source of distraction for some employees, and is having a negative impact on productivity in the process. But is technology really all to blame? A new survey of 2,175 hiring and human resource managers released by CareerBuilder uncovers the real source of today’s most notorious productivity killers – and it’s not all technology. The results are a mix of both obvious distractions and surprising discoveries.

Here are the top 10 productivity busters according to CareerBuilder’s June 2015 survey.

  1. 52% – Cellphones & texting
  2. 44% – Internet
  3. 37% – Gossip
  4. 36% – Social media
  5. 31% – Email
  6. 27% – Coworkers chatting
  7. 26% – Meetings
  8. 27% – Snack and/or smoke breaks
  9. 17% – Loud coworkers
  10. 10% – Sitting in a cubicle

Why are these findings a big deal?

According to the managers who took the survey, the consequences of these distractions can be pretty severe. A few examples they gave were lower quality of work, dissatisfied employees who have to pick up the slack of lower performers, missed deadlines, and even loss of revenue.

So how do you prevent these productivity killers from disrupting your business?

The chief human resources officer at CareerBuilder mentioned that one of the most effective ways to increase productivity is to simply take a break, which may come as quite a surprise since “Snack and/or smoke breaks” is listed as number 8 for productivity killers.

However, it should be noted that not all breaks are created equal. Listening to loud music or getting caught up in gossip on social media may not actually give employees the sense of rejuvenation they need when they return to work. They key is for staff members to take a break that will re-energize and give them a fresh focus. Some suggestions are to simply take a walk or perform some form of light exercise or stretching.

On a more humorous note, the survey also revealed some of the more unusual non-work activities employees partook in while on the clock. Employers reportedly found their staff doing everything from taking a nap on the CEO’s couch, searching for a mail order bride, and even taking a sponge bath in the restroom sink.

Want more tips on how to boost employee productivity. Curious to see how technology can help? Send us a message today.