In a study designed to find out why some customer service agents stayed in their jobs longer than others, economist Michael Housman found an unlikely correlation.
Compared to employees who used Internet Explorer or Safari, those who used Firefox or Chrome:
- Remained in their jobs 15% longer
- Were 19% less likely to miss work
- Had significantly higher sales and shorter call times
In short, internet browser preference was the most significant predictor of performance and job satisfaction.
How could this be?
Well, as you may have guessed, the browser itself wasn’t responsible for their success, but rather what it signaled about that person’s habits.
Internet Explorer and Safari come preinstalled on Windows and Mac. But if you want to use Chrome or Firefox, you need to demonstrate some resourcefulness to find and download it.
In other words, Chrome and Firefox users didn’t accept the default. They questioned if a better option existed, and then showed the initiative to try it.
Unfortunately, these people are the minority. To quote author Adam Grant, “We live in an Internet Explorer world. Just as almost two-thirds of the customer service reps used the default browser on their computers, many of us accept the defaults in our own lives.”
We have a choice. To take initiative and try something new, or to join the chorus of “that’s the way it’s always been done.”
Recognize that no matter what you do or where you work, you have the ability to create the job you want.
All that’s required is the initiative and willingness to try.
FOOTNOTES
- This post was inspired by the book Originals by Adam Grant.
- To learn more about how browser preference predicts on-the-job success, check out this Economist article: “How Might Your Choice of Browser Affect Your Job Prospects?”
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