What is Idle Time at Work? And What is Normal Idle Time? A Guide

What is idle time?

Idle time is any period during working hours when your employees aren’t able to work, even if they’d love to. In other words, they’re on the clock but not actually getting anything done—not necessarily because they don’t want to, but often because something stops them from cracking on.

Think of idle time as that awkward pause on a Zoom call—everyone is ready, but nothing’s really happening. Not productive, a tad uncomfortable, and ideally, something you’d want to minimise.

To really understand where abnormal idle time creeps into your team’s workday, here’s a quick and handy table with some common examples. See if you spot any familiar scenes in your workplace:

Types of idle time at work

Before you can battle idle time, it’s crucial to know exactly which villains you’re dealing with. Let’s unmask the common types of idle time that are probably (secretly) draining your resources:

Planned idle time (the 'good' kind)

Believe it or not, some idle time is planned and perfectly normal—tea breaks, quick stretches, or downtime between tasks. This is healthy, normal, and helps your team recharge.

For example, in a vehicle assembly factory, planned idle time during an eight-hour shift can occur when the output of car assembly does not align with the capabilities of the quality inspection team, leading to periods of idle time.

Unplanned (and unwanted!) idle time

This is the real troublemaker. It’s any interruption that leaves employees stranded, bored, or staring aimlessly into space—usually due to hiccups in your processes or unforeseen delays.

Let’s break unplanned idle time down even further:

• Administrative idle time: Lost hours due to messy scheduling, absent teammates, or last-minute cancellations.

• External delays: Issues outside your business, like suppliers missing deadlines, unexpected tech outages, or unexpected personal events.

• Operational idle time: This includes periods when employees are unable to work due to machinery or tools being unavailable. Examples are equipment downtime, which refers to the periods when employees are unable to work due to machinery or tools being unavailable, whether from routine maintenance, unexpected failures, or necessary repairs, ultimately resulting in unproductive employee idle time, and machine idle time, which impacts operational efficiency and productivity by causing disruptions, affecting workflow, and reducing overall equipment longevity.

How to calculate idle time formula

To calculate your team’s idle time, use this straightforward formula:

Idle Time = Total Available Time − Actual Productive Time.

• Total Available Hours: How long an employee or team is scheduled to work.

• Actual Productive Hours: The hours they actually spend on productive tasks. The actual production time is essential for calculating idle time, as it highlights the distinction between planned operational duration and effective working hours.

Let’s see it in action (Example):

Imagine Sarah works an 8-hour shift, but due to software downtime, she only spends about 6 hours actually working. Here’s your calculation:

Idle Time = 8 hours (total shift) − 6 hours (productive) = 2 hours idle time

What's causing idle time?

Idle time rarely just happens—there’s usually a sneaky culprit behind the scenes. Let’s look at the usual suspects:

• Poor scheduling practices 🗓️: Have you ever noticed employees standing around between shifts, unsure what to do next? That’s poor scheduling at work, leaving unnecessary gaps that gobble up productivity. Optimising business practices through effective preventive maintenance programs and digital tools can significantly reduce idle time.

• Technical troubles 💻: Downtime from slow computers, software crashes, or unstable Wi-Fi is inevitable. You might as well wave goodbye to productivity when tech plays hide-and-seek!

• Supply chain hiccups 📦: Delays in materials or supplies mean employees can’t get on with their tasks—even if they’re ready and waiting.

• Unexpected downtime of machinery 🚧: Breakdowns or sudden maintenance can leave teams twiddling thumbs. Machines are fantastic…until they decide to take a break without permission! Maintenance teams play a crucial role in managing idle time by using technology like computerised maintenance management systems to enhance efficiency and provide visibility into idle time.

• Inefficient meetings 📅: Ever find yourself thinking: “Could this meeting have been an email?” Your team probably has too. Late-starting, overly-long, or pointless meetings are prime idle-time generators.

What is “normal” idle time?

Not all idle time is bad. Sometimes, idle time is perfectly normal, healthy even. But how do you know the difference? Let’s quickly dive into it:

Normal idle time refers to those moments during the workday when employees or equipment are not actively engaged in productive work but are still available and ready to go. Think of it as the natural pauses in the rhythm of the workday—like a well-deserved coffee break or a quick stretch. These periods are part of the production process and can be planned for, ensuring they don’t disrupt overall productivity.

How much idle time is normal?

A good rule of thumb is around 5% to 10% of the workday, depending on the industry. For example, in an 8-hour workday, 20–40 minutes of idle time might be considered normal and acceptable.

Here’s a handy table to simplify this:

When does idle time become a problem?

If idle time regularly exceeds these general guidelines, or if it significantly interrupts workflow or reduces productivity, then it’s worth investigating. Excessive idle time can lead to lost productivity, which is crucial to address for improving overall efficiency, especially in the age of remote work.

Consistent patterns of high idle time typically signal underlying issues such as poor management, inadequate resources, or workflow bottlenecks. Unproductive periods resulting from equipment malfunctions or maintenance can also indicate problematic idle time, contributing to substantial financial losses for businesses.

Practical strategies to minimise idle time in your team

A study by Harvard Business School highlights that a significant percentage of workers experience unproductive waiting periods each week, costing employers around $100 billion annually.

Idle time might feel unavoidable sometimes, but minimizing idle time is crucial for improving productivity and efficiency. There’s plenty you can do to keep it under control. Here are some actionable strategies you can implement straight away:

Improve scheduling practices 📅

Efficient scheduling is your first line of defence against idle time.

• Flexible shift management:Make sure schedules match actual workload demands. Avoid long gaps by using scheduling software to forecast busy periods and distribute workloads evenly throughout the day.

• Cross-train your teamWhen team members can perform multiple tasks, downtime caused by waiting for others or for equipment is significantly reduced.

👉 Quick tip: Regularly reviewing your schedules and shift patterns can highlight areas where idle time sneaks in.

Invest in tech (it’s worth it!) 🖥️

Technology isn't just shiny gadgets—it genuinely saves you money by cutting down idle periods:

• Employee scheduling software: Modern workforce management tools track productivity and highlight areas with excessive downtime, so you know exactly where and when to step in.

• Real-time monitoring and alerts: These tools can notify you immediately if there's idle time creeping up, letting you respond proactively rather than reactively.

Improve supply chain and resource planning 🚚

Delays in deliveries or a shortage of materials often lead to unexpected idle time. Here’s how you can tighten that up:

• Build stronger relationships with reliable suppliers.
• Always keep backup options handy for critical resources.
• Use forecasting tools to anticipate demand and stock accordingly.

Upgrade meetings (and yes, cancel some) 📅❌

Not all meetings deserve a spot in the schedule. Some of them are productivity killers.

• Start meetings promptly and stick to set agendas.
• Encourage shorter, more focused meetings—15 minutes is sometimes plenty.
• Replace unnecessary meetings with brief check-ins via messaging or email updates.

Communicate proactively and transparently 📢

Sometimes idle time happens simply because employees aren't clear on their next tasks. Effective communication can dramatically cut down on confusion:

• Clearly outline daily and weekly goals.
• Make sure employees always know who to talk to if they're stuck or waiting.
• Regularly gather feedback from your team on workflow improvements.

Want less idle time and more productivity? Shiftbase can help!

Idle time sneaking up on your team's productivity? With Shiftbase, you can keep it under control effortlessly. Our easy-to-use software makes employee scheduling, time tracking, and absence management a breeze, helping you spot and reduce idle time across your business.

Say goodbye to downtime drama and hello to smarter workforce management. Curious? See for yourself—start your free 14-day trial today and wave goodbye to unnecessary idle time!

Employee scheduling and Time-tracking software!

• Easy Employee scheduling
• Clear time-tracking
• Simple absence management

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