Technology Kills Work/Life Balance

Technology Kills Work/Life Balance

Technology advances enable us to work faster and smarter than ever before, but does this also mean the traditional Kiwi holiday is at threat?

The recent Robert Half workplace survey found that most of us now find it difficult to ‘switch off’ while we are away from the office. Almost two thirds (62%) of the NZ finance and accounting professionals surveyed stay connected remotely to what’s happening at work or do work related tasks while they are on holiday.

Of those that stay connected, 15% say that it is because they find it ‘impossible’ to switch off while on holiday; while 43% claim it’s because technology allows them to access work information from anywhere in the world.

Robert Half general manager, Megan Alexander says workers feel compelled to stay connected to work because the technology they have at their disposal enables them to do so. The survey findings back this up - a quarter of respondents believe that they should be available because they use a company mobile phone.

Over half of respondents (53%) like to stay on top of work issues even when on holiday, a high proportion of which reporting that filtering through work emails while away from the office meant they are less stressed when they return to work.

It seems Kiwi employees are also more conscientious than bosses expect them to be while on holiday. Just 6% of employers claim they expect employees to constantly be available while on annual leave, and 14% expect employees to be available outside of office hours. 49% were required to be available only in emergencies.

Not surprisingly, there are higher expectations for senior management to stay connected after hours.

The survey found employees are not being compensated for being ‘on call’ while they are on annual leave; 43% are not remunerated at all, 37% are offered time off in lieu, while just 29% get overtime payment for the additional hours worked.

Alexander says that in an environment where we are encouraged to do more, with less time, work/life balance is vital. Promoting it as part of business culture can lead to increased productivity, reduced absenteeism and better staff retention.

“Blackberries and iPhones have made connecting to work so accessible that for many of us, gone are the days that you stop working when you shut down your office computer. Helping employees strike the right balance between their professional obligations and personal life is easier, and less costly than employers might think,” says Alexander.

Alexander suggests making allowances for flexible work schedules, avoiding the temptation to contact staff after hours, awarding time off for a job well done, or even harnessing the power of technology to provide opportunities for telecommuting, which can enable staff to work from home a few times each month.

“Bosses need to walk the talk too and know when it’s important to step away from the laptop or put down the phone.”

ENDS

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