Facing greater pressure at workplace, a majority of employees take their official work home through tech gadgets like smartphones, says a study.
Employees are checking in with the office on their smartphones from virtually anywhere and everywhere, the survey by job site CareerBuilder said.
About 62 per cent of employees, among more than 5,200 surveyed in the U.S., have admitted to using their smartphones to check emails and perform other tasks of office while having meals, followed by 60 per cent on vacations.
In addition, about 57 per cent employees said they are using smartphones in bathrooms, and more than half of workers admitted to checking smartphones while driving.
The survey said that the lines between work and life can be very blurry these days as workers feel like their work day never ends because of technology connecting them to the office.
“It is challenging for workers to maintain a good work-life balance when they are constantly connected to the office, so turning their devices off is important for their health and safety,” CareerBuilder Vice President (Human Resources) Rosemary Haefner said.
The survey found that sales workers (66 per cent) were using smartphones while driving more than any other group surveyed, followed by 59 per cent of professional and business services workers and 50 per cent of healthcare workers.
Moreover, 22 per cent of respondents said they check their mobile device every time it vibrates or beeps and 18 per cent reported they are required by their company to be accessible beyond office hours via mobile device.
While another 14 per cent of workers said they feel obligated to constantly stay in touch with work because of the current tough economy.
The survey was conducted online within the US by Harris Interactive on behalf of CareerBuilder between November 5 and November 23, 2009.
