Productivity is a key when it comes to making a business successful. The rate of productivity depends on a cohesive group of people, social interaction being a key part of this system. Researchers over the MIT are keen to establish a relationship between social interaction and productivity using a prototype device dubbed the Sociometer. These researchers believe that a heightened level of productivity can be achieved when the groups of workers are given an opportunity to interact face to face rather than using the conventional mails or instant messages. This device embedded with an accelerometer records the details of social interactions.
Until know it was difficult to establish a relationship between direct interaction and productivity for there wasn’t a way to measure the same. The Sociometer would help overcome this problem thereby ascertaining a positive or negative result of this proposed theory. It is believed that the productivity levels can go up by 30% where direct interaction is evident. If this theory unfurls conclusive results, firms dependent on social networking for productivity could use it as an effective tool to achieve the same. On a lighter note, we just hope that the Sociometer records the data that associates productivity to social interaction and not what the workers talk about their seniors during the breaks for that is the only time they interact directly. What say you telemarketers!
Via: Technologyreview
