A rising number of Australian workers are suffering from fatigue as a result of too much time spent online, with more choosing to switch off completely at home, rather than switch on after hours, according to a new survey.
The number of workers checking emails at home has dropped to 38 percent, compared to 46 percent last year, according to a survey conducted by NorthgateArinso.
While 62 percent of workers believe that technology allows them to manage their work/life balance more effectively, this figure has fallen significantly since last year, to 73 percent.
Interestingly, some 78 percent of workers agreed that technology is no longer playing a vital role at work, with businesses using instant messaging, Skype and video conferencing less frequently.
Despite these sliding figures, online fatigue is a growing concern in local businesses which impacts on the health and wellbeing of staff, NorthgateArinso managing director David Page said.
“Some businesses are taking action. For example, putting in place “turn off” policies with their workers outside work hours. Volkswagen in Europe has turned off Blackberry email after hours and other firms are implementing similar email amnesties”, Page said.
With this in mind, here are 10 signs you could us a break from technology:
1. One of the last things you do before going to sleep is checking your smartphone for emails.
2. Your first conversation of the day is via Twitter.
3. You take your laptop or iPad and/or smartphone on holidays, just in case work needs you.
4. You feel obligated to respond to work emails outside of work hours, especially those from international colleagues from different time zones.
5. You expect your work colleagues to answer emails out of business hours, because that’s what you do.
6. You turn your smartphone to vibrate – never off – so that you can check messages when you really should be ‘off duty’ such as, at the cinema or out with the family.
7. Your iPad is used mainly for reading work-related articles late at night.
8. You have not had a face-to-face discussion with any of your 500 plus contacts on LinkedIn for months.
9. Your work contacts on Facebook and Skype outnumber your friends and family contacts.
10. You’re the FourSquare mayor of your office.
