Beyond the office-versus-remote debate: Why we lack focus at work and what to do about it

In our modern workplace, the ability to focus—staying fully present on one task—has never been more elusive. More screens, more notifications, and more disruptions compete for our attention, regardless of where we work. 

In 2023, Dropbox sponsored the Economist Impact report “In search of lost focus,” which surveyed more than a thousand knowledge workers about their jobs—from general staff to executives across retail, technology, and more.

The report revealed a staggering $1.4 trillion economic impact due to lost focus in the workplace. This significant loss underscores how critical it is for businesses to rethink their approach to focus, impact, and productivity to achieve better business outcomes, beginning with the work models they adopt.

Here are some of the key insights from the original report:

• 42% of respondents rarely spend more than an hour on productive work without being interrupted. This highlights a core challenge: the modern work environment, regardless of the model, makes focus a rare and valuable commodity.
• Knowledge workers lose 553 hours of productive time annually, driven in large part by ineffective meetings and administrative tasks. 
• Lost focus costs an average of $21,000 per year for employees, and the impact is even greater for managers: $37,000 annually. This highlights the need for better tools and practices at all organizational levels.

When it comes to focus and productivity, how do remote, in-office, or hybrid models stack up?

We revisited the original Economist Impact study and conducted a follow-up analysis to better understand differences in focus across various work models. Analyzing this data alongside insights from Dropbox's employee surveys has deepened our understanding of how various work models affect focus and productivity.

Our goal is to move beyond the simplistic "office vs. remote" debate and explore how to build work environments that foster deep, impactful work—regardless of where that work happens.

Methodology and Data Sources

This report draws from three primary sources of data:

1. The original Economist Impact report, published in 2023, which surveyed over 1,000 knowledge workers across various industries and roles.
2. A new analysis of the raw data from the Economist Impact study, which provides deeper insights into focus across different work models.
3. Dropbox’s internal survey data, which offers a unique perspective on how Dropbox employees experience focus and productivity in a Virtual First work environment.

Bottom line: Workspace doesn’t equate to headspace

The most crucial finding from our deeper analysis of working models from the Economist Impact data is that there’s no clear "winner" among work models when it comes to focused work. Every approach—whether remote, hybrid, or in-office—has its own inherent distractions that make it difficult for knowledge workers to focus and stay productive. 

Our deep dive into the Economist Impact study data also revealed that:

• Knowledge workers can focus for 90–95 minutes without distraction, and this average focus time is consistent across all work models.
• There is no difference in the average productive work hours: knowledge workers spend between 5.5 and 6 hours a day completing productive work. 
• Despite no difference in the amount of productive time, more remote and hybrid workers report that the quality of this time is better when working remotely versus in-office.

While this suggests there isn't a single working model that is best for all situations, each scenario encompasses a mix of benefits and challenges for staying focused and getting things done.

Similarities across working models:

• Common distractions include emails, social media, administrative tasks, and incoming messages or chats.
• The ability to be creative/innovative is similar across working models (though somewhat lower for hybrid workers).
• All models agree that taking breaks is important for focus. Popular activities include walking, snack breaks, exercising, and chatting with colleagues.

Remote workers:

• Remote workers report higher-quality deep work and more independence than in-office workers.
• They also enjoy greater flexibility and better work-life balance.
• Common remote distractions include household chores and demands from others at home.
• Remote workers are less likely to say their team relationships are better compared to working fully in-office.

Hybrid workers:

• Hybrid workers share many benefits with remote workers, like better work-life balance and improved mental health compared to in-office workers.
• They report higher-quality deep work than in-office workers, though slightly less than remote workers.
• Hybrid workers are more likely to feel disconnected from colleagues when working from home compared to fully remote workers.
• They are also more distracted by household chores and demands, suggesting they may not be fully adjusted to working from home.

In-office workers:

• In-office workers say their relationships are better than when working remotely or in a hybrid model.
• They're less likely to say work-life balance is better than when working remotely
• They report lower-quality deep work compared to remote and hybrid workers.
• The most common office distraction is interruptions from colleagues.

Bridging the focus gap: How Dropbox's Virtual First model reinvents modern work

Our Virtual First model combines the best of remote work and in-person experiences. Building on these insights, Dropbox is refining its approach to enhance focus and tackle common challenges.

Our latest findings highlight a key challenge in today’s work environment: balancing deep focus with team collaboration. Dropbox’s Virtual First model offers a solution.

What sets Virtual First apart?

Virtual First doesn't fit cleanly into one of the traditional work models; it’s a reimagined way of working that prioritizes productivity, flexibility, and intentional in-person gathering. This approach enables our teams to focus on impact and effectiveness while fostering a culture of innovation and connection. 

Here’s how it works:

How Dropbox data compares to the Economist Impact results

Our approach is delivering strong results. Internal data shows that Dropbox employees are staying productive and engaged, benefiting from greater flexibility and focus. These findings align with the broader trends highlighted in the Economist Impact report, pointing to the effectiveness of our structured approach to remote-first work.

While our survey questions differ from those in the Economist Impact report, these results provide a positive signal that Virtual First is working for Dropbox.

• 90% feel favorably about their flexibility 
• 87% feel favorably about collaboration
• 78% feel favorably about their productivity

We also know that Virtual First is a work in progress, and we'll continue to refine it with data. Dropbox has become a lab for distributed work, experimenting and learning to solve the toughest remote collaboration challenges. By tracking the impact of every change, we can tweak the right processes and stay responsive to our team’s evolving needs. With this intentional approach, Virtual First can create an environment that fosters deep focus while maintaining strong team connections.

Strategies for optimizing focus in a distributed environment

Based on our research and experience with Virtual First, we've identified several key strategies for optimizing focus across different work models. To help our own teams and other teams, we packed our Virtual First Toolkit with tips and worksheets that cover all the key segments of modern-day knowledge work: effectiveness, collaboration, communication, and well-being. 

Here are some of the strategies that can be beneficial for companies looking to optimize their focus time.

1. Empower managers to protect their own focus time

Managers play a crucial role in creating an environment that supports focus for both their teams and themselves. The initial Economist Impact report showed that managers lose more time to distractions than anyone else—683 hours per year on average, compared to 553 for individual contributors. Given the salary differences, these lost hours are much more costly for managers.

We see this play out internally as well. Only 66% of our managers feel effective at creating heads-down time, versus 80% of our individual contributors. 

Managers typically deal with a higher volume of meetings and messages, so it’s easy for them to become overwhelmed. Here are some strategies managers can apply to protect their focus time:

• Encourage “focus blocks”: Schedule and protect time for concentrated work and encourage reports to do the same.
• Prioritize 1:1s: Set aside chunks of time for managers to address their reports’ distractions and blockers in real-time instead of via message.
• Top-down focus: Encourage other managers to demonstrate focus habits and respect others' heads-down time to build a culture that respects focus. 
• Create playbooks: Create documentation and resources that outline how managers on your team can protect their own focus.

Learn more about how to boost your productivity and focus time as a manager with our Virtual First Toolkit on Teamwork.

2. Leverage AI and automation

We’ve long believed in AI’s potential to transform knowledge work. It’s unlocking new possibilities for us to solve some of the biggest challenges knowledge workers face today—like minimizing distractions, streamlining workflows, and mitigating information overload. At Dropbox, we utilize different tools to support focus, including:

• Dropbox Dash: A universal search tool that helps employees quickly find the information they need across various platforms.
• Reclaim.ai: An intelligent scheduling and task management app designed to optimize productivity and time management for individuals and teams.

When implementing AI and automation tools, develop clear guidelines and offer training on best practices for AI use. Give your teams the time and space to experiment with tools and discover what works for them. 

A good place to start is using AI to automate repetitive tasks, freeing up time for more meaningful work.  

Learn more about how to best leverage your collaboration tools with our Virtual First Toolkit practice on building better tool habits.

3. Implement effective meeting hygiene

Meetings are often cited as a major source of distraction. Here are some practices we've implemented to make meetings more focused and productive:

• Use the 3d’s framework (decisions, debates, discussions) to determine if a meeting is necessary.
• Set clear agendas and objectives for more effective meetings.
• Encourage asynchronous updates to reduce unnecessary meetings.
• Assign pre-meeting reading to ensure participants come prepared.
• End meetings with wrap-up routines, like recording action items and assigning owners.

Learn more about running effective meetings with our Virtual First Communication Kit.

4. Promote workplace norms for recharging focus

Remote, hybrid, and in-office workers need to recharge and regain focus throughout the day by taking breaks.

Here are some helpful habits we've been integrating into Dropbox’s culture:

• Encourage “meet & moves” to combine meetings with physical activity.
• Promote taking breaks throughout the day to recharge.
• Build better tool habits to reduce distractions and context switching.
• Support a healthy work-from-home experience for remote and hybrid workers.

Learn more about how to recharge focus with our Virtual First Well-Being Kit.

Making modern work your own: How you can build your own winning work model

Rather than getting caught up in the debate between in-office, remote, or hybrid work, the key is recognizing that no single model works for every organization. The solution is building a flexible work environment with a shared framework that fosters collaboration and meets your organization's unique needs. That’s what Virtual First is about: combining intentionality, flexibility, and the right balance between focus and collaboration, whether virtual or in-person.

By blending the best of remote work with in-person experiences, organizations can provide the structure and freedom needed to drive productivity. Virtual First offers core principles that any organization can adapt to promote focus, productivity, and connection.

As work continues to evolve, the organizations that thrive will be those that experiment, adapt, and embrace change. Whether you operate remotely, in-office, or with a mix of both, success comes from continuously refining your approach based on feedback and your team’s needs.

By embracing your version of Virtual First, you can position your organization at the forefront of the modern workplace—driving innovation and long-term success.

You can find our downloadable report here, and check out virtualfirst.dropbox.com for all things Virtual First.