In line with a previous post, the way we communicate in the workplace is evolving, and we’re now having to face a horde of new potential interruptions in our day as email, voicemail, instant messaging and rushed coworkers all clamor for our attention.  Despite the common perception that the younger workers of today thrive in the chaotic world of multiple inputs and constant interruption, it turns out the opposite might be true.

A study by The Institute for Innovation & Information Productivity and Oxford University may end up changing the way we look at work processes and their impact on productivity. The research, highlighted here, claims that younger workers are far more susceptible to performance degradation when constantly interrupted while performing challenging cognitive tasks than previously thought, and older workers are potentially better suited to work under the rapid-fire conditions prevalent in the modern workplace.

The researchers say that younger workers (18-21) who are subjected to constant interruption exhibit symptoms similar to suffering a ”kick in the head” and that older workers (35-39) fare much better under similar circumstances.

Have a look at this research and keep it in mind the next time your child tells you she can do her homework perfectly well with the television and computer on while chatting on the mobile and texting all at the same time.