Join our Waitlist for Expert Advice!

Feeling Unproductive? Blame Your Co-Workers. A new study illustrates the contagious nature of unproductivity.

By Laura Entis

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on your outlook) work doesn't exist in a vacuum. Apart from the novelist holed away with his manuscript, most jobs require that we interact with other people on a daily basis.

This can be great; collaboration often boosts both creativity and performance. But on the flip side, coworkers can slow us down, at least according to a recent productivity study by task management platform Taskworld.

Related: Distracted and Overwhelmed Employees Are Costing You Big. Try These 3 Fixes.

The study, which surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults age 18 or over, found that 50 percent of the workforce believes their coworkers' productivity directly impacts their own. And slacking employees can have a domino effect -- nearly half of respondents (48 percent) blame deadline missing coworkers for corresponding decreases in their own productivity.

Why? Chronic deadline-missers aren't just frittering away their own time: Nineteen percent of respondents reported that they spend one to three additional hours per week nagging coworkers to get their work done (or, in survey speak, "following up on the status of projects and tasks"), while a whopping 75 percent report frequently waiting on coworkers to complete a task.

Like office germs, it appears that unproductivity is contagious.

Related: How Music Affects Your Productivity

Laura Entis is a reporter for Fortune.com's Venture section.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business News

You Have One Month Left to Buy a House, According to Barbara Corcoran. Here's Why.

"If you are planning on waiting a year and seeing where interest rates go, you are out of your mind," Corcoran said.

Social Media

How To Start a Youtube Channel: Step-by-Step Guide

YouTube can be a valuable way to grow your audience. If you're ready to create content, read more about starting a business YouTube Channel.

Business News

These 3 Side Hustles Make the Most Money While Working Fewer Hours, According to a New Survey

The survey also found that having a side hustle doubled as a path to becoming more employable.

Side Hustle

I Made $14,000 in 1 Week With a Spontaneous Halloween Costume Side Hustle — Here's How

Sabba Keynejad was in art school when he started to refine his entrepreneurial skills.

Franchise

The McRib Is Back, But Only at Select McDonald's — Here's Where to Find It

This scarcity is nothing new. In 2022, McDonald's announced a "Farewell Tour" for the McRib, suggesting that it might be the last time customers could get their hands on it.

Business News

This New Restaurant Is Banking on One Dish — Because It's the Only Entrée on the Menu

The new hotspot is gaining buzz on social media for its innovative yet super simple concept.