Time Allocation in Knowledge Work

Time efficiency in knowledge work is explored by evaluating what types of tasks knowledge workers are performing. The research scope was based on literature review of knowledge worker productivity. The assumptions were that knowledge workers spend a lot of their time at work performing non-knowledge intensive tasks or non-value adding tasks that causes decrease in time efficiency. A small-scale case study was performed to record tasks performed by knowledge workers. The data was gathered with direct observations and semi-structured interviews. The research design followed the dissemination process by Stuart et al. (2002). Four workers in the healthcare industry participated in the study and the observations took place in Landspítali University Hospital. Three techniques to evaluate time efficiency were proposed. Two of the techniques generate knowledge work time efficiency (KWTE), and the third generates work time efficiency (WTE). The KWTE techniques were developed from the definition of white collar work by Hopp et al. (2009) and Ramirez and Steudel’s (2008) knowledge work quantification framework. The techniques were applied to the data recorded. Results were that the WTE was on average >90%, while KWTE was from 45% to 72%. That is, at least 20% of the time spent on work related tasks is spent on performing non-knowledge intensive tasks