A survey of UK office workers has found that 57% of people don't believe that their meetings are a productive use of time.

Some 43% of the 1,000 people polled by Wacom also admitted that they switched off in meetings. A further 34% said they did not concentrate on what was being discussed and often worked on other projects during them.

Some 21% even confessed to having fallen asleep in a meeting before.

Laptops and phones were cited as major distractions, with 37% of workers agreeing that their meetings would become more efficient and engaging if laptops weren't permitted.

A further 63% also felt that taking notes by hand would help them be more creative and productive.

Wacom spokesperson Jeroen van't Hoofd said in a statement:

"Meeting organisers and presenters worldwide are constantly competing with laptops and mobile devices for the attention of attendees.

"While most people use the devices for note-taking, the temptation to multi-task is just too great."

He added:

"These distractions have a negative impact on stress levels, productivity, company culture and ultimately the bottom line.

"We can all benefit from fewer, shorter, more productive meetings.

"A more mindful meeting starts with smarter, distraction-free note taking."