Turns out there is one way to look at an eclipse without harming your eyes: through the lens of economics.
Sure, it’s not romantic and not inspiring and not exactly scientific either – even if they do call economics, “the dismal science.” And sure, The Great American Eclipse – surely is a spectacular moment that demands higher thinking.
Yes, Monday’s event will be an astronomical choreography, potentially visible from Oregon to the Carolinas, boggling the mind and offering a rare and stunning glimpse of a greater glory.
Yeah, but consider what a darned distraction it is.
Y’know, productivity-wise. Because, well. Monday is a workin’ day. Which means that any workin’ guy or gal who is paying attention to the roughly 20 minutes of eclipse is pretty surely doing less work.
So let’s get down to it: How much is this sensational diversion gonna cost?
As it happens, there is an answer of sorts to that question: $694 million, according to an analysis by global outplacement and executive coaching firm, Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.
Challenger took data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and made some guesses to come up with that estimate.
For starters, about 83 percent of employed people work on a weekday. And most – about 85 percent of workin’ folks have a day shift.
That puts about 87.3 million workers on the job during the eclipse. They make an average wage of $23.86 an hour.
So, back of the envelope, Challenger says wasting 20 minutes of their time is worth an average of $7.95. And the more workers you have, the more your productivity will suffer.
Still, you can’t let yourself get focused on the bean-counting – It doesn’t have to be a total loss to the bottom line, assures Andrew Challenger, vice president of the Chicago-based firm.
It’s all about framing.
“That is not to say employers need to board their windows and keep employees locked up in conference room meetings until the eclipse ends,” he said. “Rather, looking for how to turn this lack of productivity into a way to increase morale and strengthen the team is a much better use of the eclipse.”
EVERYTHING ECLIPSE: ARE YOU READY?
USE THE RIGHT GLASSES: DON’T GET SCAMMED
PATIENTLY, THE SCIENTISTS EXPLODE THE MYTHS
MYAJC.COM: REAL JOURNALISM. REAL LOCAL IMPACT.
AJC Business reporter Michael E. Kanell keeps you updated on the latest news about jobs, housing and consumer issues in metro Atlanta and beyond. You'll find more on myAJC.com, including these stories:
Never miss a minute of what's happening in local business news. Subscribe to myAJC.com.
About the Author
