What Is Idle Time — and What Does It Mean for Maintenance?

Idle time, also known as waiting time, refers to the period of time when an asset, machine or employee is available but remains unproductive or inactive. This time can occur due to various reasons such as workflow inefficiencies, power outages or delays in receiving necessary inputs. 

In a business setting, idle time is often associated with costs since resources are paid for but not fully utilized. For instance, idle time could occur when maintenance technicians are scheduled for an eight-hour shift to repair equipment but are waiting for spare parts to arrive. Even though the team is on the clock and ready to work, they remain unproductive until the necessary parts are delivered. This delay can lead to extended downtime for critical equipment, reducing overall operational efficiency and increasing costs. 

In fact, a 2018 Harvard Business School study found that about 78 percent of American employees experience some amount of idle time every week to the tune of about $100 billion a year. That’s not even factoring in the annual cost of equipment idle time.

Needless to say, managing idle time is paramount to a business’ overall productivity and profitability. However, managing it effectively involves planning, coordination and ensuring that resources are available when needed to minimize delays. Read on to learn more about what causes idle time, how to calculate it and what you can do to reduce it.

Causes of Idle Time

Idle time can be classified into normal and abnormal idle time. Both types have distinct causes and implications for an organization.

Normal idle time refers to the expected and unavoidable downtime that occurs during regular operations. It is often built into the work process and is usually accounted for in planning and budgeting. Common causes include routine breaks (e.g., lunch and rest periods), routine maintenance of machinery, shift changes and natural pauses between different stages of the production process. 

For instance, in manufacturing, there may be brief intervals when maintenance teams or a piece of equipment are waiting for materials to arrive from another department. This type of idle time is considered inherent to the workflow and does not indicate inefficiency or poor business practices.

Abnormal idle time, on the other hand, is unplanned and occurs due to unexpected disruptions. Unlike normal idle time, abnormal idle time usually means a sign of inefficiency, poor planning or external challenges that were not anticipated. Causes of abnormal idle time can include factors such as poor planning, equipment failures, market changes, lack of employee training, unexpected personal issues and natural disasters. 

Poor planning can result in delays due to a mismatch in schedules or lack of coordination, leading to idle time when employees are left waiting for tasks or materials. Equipment failures can cause extended periods of downtime as repairs or replacements are made. Market changes, such as fluctuations in demand or supply chain disruptions, can force operations to slow down or halt. A lack of employee training can lead to mistakes, bottlenecks in task completion or the need for additional supervision, contributing to idle time. Unexpected personal issues, such as sudden employee absences, and natural disasters like floods or storms, can also cause significant operational delays.

Effectively managing both normal and abnormal idle time requires strategic planning, proactive maintenance and flexibility in responding to unforeseen challenges. While some idle time is inevitable, minimizing abnormal idle time is key to maintaining productive work and reducing operational costs.

Idle Time vs. Downtime

While both downtime and idle time involve assets being unproductive, the key difference lies in their causes. 

Downtime typically occurs because an asset is not functioning due to a breakdown, malfunction or is undergoing preventive maintenance. During downtime, the asset is completely unavailable for use, and productivity halts until the issue is resolved or the maintenance is completed. For instance, if a machine stops due to a mechanical failure or requires routine servicing, the resulting downtime is expected as part of maintaining operational efficiency.

Idle time, in contrast, occurs when an asset is available but remains unproductive due to factors unrelated to its condition. This often stems from scheduling or workflow issues, such as shipping delays, waiting for approvals or misalignment between production stages. Unlike downtime, idle time doesn’t involve a physical problem with the equipment; rather, it’s a gap created by poor coordination or external delays. For example, a machine could be in perfect working condition but sits idle because materials haven’t arrived on time. 

Managing both of these effectively requires different approaches: Downtime demands timely maintenance, while reducing idle time requires better scheduling and communication across operations.

How to Calculate Idle Time

When it comes to maintenance metrics, idle time can be a key performance indicator (KPI). It’s calculated using this formula: 

Scheduled production time refers to the total time allocated for production during a shift or work period, assuming no delays or interruptions. It represents the planned time when assets, machinery or employees are expected to be productive. Actual production time, on the other hand, is the time during which production is actually carried out, excluding any periods of unproductivity or delays.

For example, consider a factory scheduled to operate for eight hours (480 minutes). However, due to a material delay, the team on the production line can only operate for seven hours (420 minutes). The idle time would be the difference between the scheduled production time and the actual production time: 

Idle Time: 480 minutes – 420 minutes = 60 minutes 

In this scenario, the factory experienced 60 minutes of idle time, meaning that the resources were available but not productive during this period. You can use this calculation to track idle time and identify inefficiencies, allowing management to address the causes of the unproductive time, such as delays or scheduling issues, ultimately leading to better resource utilization and improved productivity.

Key Ways to Reduce Idle Time

Reducing idle time in business is essential for optimizing productive hours and minimizing operational costs. This can be accomplished in a few ways:

• Ensuring onboarding process properly train team members to quickly recognize and report issues
• Implementing a structured system for logging these reports 
• Prioritizing repairs based on the impact on operations
• Designating a rapid-response team with the necessary tools and spare parts to handle urgent repairs swiftly 

Additionally, performing root-cause analyses after each incident helps identify preventive measures, reducing the likelihood of similar breakdowns in the future. This proactive approach minimizes downtime caused by equipment failures, ensuring quicker recovery and less idle time.

Enhancing team communication and training is another key strategy for reducing the amount of time employees and equipment remain idle. Regular training ensures that employees are well-versed in equipment operation, maintenance procedures and troubleshooting. Effective communication channels, such as scheduled check-ins or dedicated messaging platforms, help streamline the flow of information across teams. This prevents misalignment, reduces delays and allows teams to address potential issues before they cause idle time. Cross-training employees to handle multiple tasks can also prevent work stoppages when certain team members are unavailable, keeping operations running smoothly.

Implementing a preventive maintenance program is also crucial for reducing idle time by keeping assets in optimal condition. By scheduling regular inspections and servicing based on data-driven insights, potential issues can be identified and resolved before they lead to equipment failure. This planned approach not only extends the life of the assets but also reduces unexpected breakdowns, ensuring that machines are ready when needed. Maintenance schedules should be integrated into overall production planning to avoid conflicts and ensure minimal disruption to daily operations.

Lastly, monitoring and tracking idle time allows for data-driven decision-making. Implementing tracking systems that log idle periods, along with the reasons behind them, provides valuable insights into inefficiencies. Analyzing this data helps identify trends, recurring problems and areas where processes can be improved. 

How Coast Can Help Reduce Idle Time

Coast is a versatile computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) software that can significantly enhance asset maintenance and team communication, both of which are crucial for reducing idle time. By providing centralized communication channels, Coast allows teams to quickly report issues, coordinate work hours and share updates, ensuring everyone stays informed in real-time. This streamlines the response to unexpected equipment failures and helps prevent delays caused by miscommunication. 

Coast also supports task assignments and checklists, making it easier to track preventive maintenance schedules and ensure timely inspections. With its mobile accessibility, teams can communicate and log maintenance activities on the go, improving efficiency and accountability. 

Finally, Coast’s ability to store and share documents, such as maintenance logs and equipment manuals, ensures that critical information is readily accessible. By enhancing coordination, facilitating timely maintenance and keeping everyone aligned, Coast helps minimize idle time, ultimately boosting your company’s bottom line when it comes to productivity and operational efficiency.