A new study has put a cost to employers on all the chitchat people engage in at work every day — $1.5 trillion.

That’s the estimate from international communication provider TollFreeForwarding.com, which conducted a survey of 2,000 full-time workers in the U.S. and U.K. It found that on an average workday, U.S. employees spend an hour and fifty-eight minutes engaging in small talk. That’s about 13 minutes longer than a U.K. employee.

Considering the median U.S. salary, this costs businesses $11,918 per person. For the entire U.S. labor force, that adds up to about $1.5 trillion per year, according to the study.

While I’m sure employers won’t look too kindly on that number, the survey also reveals the importance of small talk.

About 72% of workers say small talk makes their workplace more bearable. It also has a positive effect on employee motivation (67%) and wellbeing (69%). This reduces the chance of staff burnout or resignations—two things that lead to time off and money spent rehiring, which cost more to businesses in the long term, according to a news release.

Small talk also helps strengthen connections in the workplace. Over three-quarters (77%) of those surveyed say small talk helps them improve and maintain relationships with their colleagues, while a further 73% said the same for their relationships with clients.

Bosses considering trying to limit small talk should also tread lightly. Almost 4 in 10 workers (38%) said they’d leave their current job if their employer attempted to limit or reduce small talk.