How You Present Tasks To Employees May Increase Their Choice To Get Work Done

Today’s best managers know that employees are often faced with the choice of getting work done versus goofing off and doing other things on the web. Which activity employees choose to do can depend on how the items are presented. When a work activity and a fun activity are presented together, then people tend to choose doing some of both, work some and play some. However, when the two activities are presented to people separately, people more often tend to do the right thing, and get the work done, and forego playing around.

Source: Fishbach, A., & Zhang, Y. 2008. Together or apart: When goals and temptations complement versus compete. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 94, 547-559.