Workers face technological overload
Updated on 05 November 2007
Technological overload is leaving British workers jaded and burnt out, a survey revealed.
Excessive emails, printers that play up and an inability to leave PDAs and BlackBerrys alone are taking their toll on the UK workforce, the study showed.
Three quarters of the 3,000 British workers who were surveyed (74%) said that the endless onslaught of new technology made them feel under pressure to be constantly available, even outside of working hours, and 28% admitted that they felt less productive as a result.
Three quarters (77%) of those surveyed admitted that they had even checked their emails at numerous social occasions, including weddings (15%), birthday parties (14%) and romantic dates (5%).
A quarter of respondents (26%), admitted that even on holiday they could not resist checking their inbox.
Nearly two in three (61%) felt that the pressure to be regularly on call meant that they spent barely 15 minutes working without interruptions during a typical day.
Many workers also expressed a lack of understanding of modern technology. One quarter (26%) confessed that they struggled to keep up with the most basic office equipment and 22% admitted that they waste up to 30 minutes a day trying to get printers, photocopiers and faxes to work.
Half (54%) said a lack of training and a third (34%) claimed an inability to deal with new technology when it breaks down were the main reasons for their office frustrations.
Ros Oxley, managing director of Leaders in London, the UK's largest annual leadership conference, which commissioned the survey, said: "Our busy and hectic lifestyles, both in and out of the office, means that we often rely on technology designed to help us to work smarter wherever we are.
"Leaving the BlackBerry off can be a good thing, as everyone needs a balance between work and play. Ensuring that there are choices in the way we communicate in the workplace is essential for British business to continue thriving."
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