Are you always on time? You are not the only one. Seven in 10 Americans admit to answering after-hour work emails.
A survey of 2,000 office employees looked at the benefits and detriments of always being “logged on” for work and found that 70% actually appreciated receiving work notifications at any hour of the day.
More than half of respondents have work emails that are connected to a personal device. 70 percent of respondents who work from home say it makes them feel like they have to be available at all hours of the day, while three in four think it has given them the chance to work at a pace more suited to their needs.
The pros of remote work
40 percent of people feel more productive when they work on their own time, as opposed to meeting deadlines, according to a survey commissioned by Zimbra and conducted by OnePoll.
More than half of Americans say their work tasks are time-sensitive, but 72 percent feel technology, like laptops and phones, gives them the freedom to choose where and when they work. 69 percent of people say they are able to answer emails faster with modern technology.
They found that technology that allows them to work in and out of the office, as well as being available to their colleagues and clients, is more feasible through technology. People are more likely to take at least three breaks a day at home compared to in-office, which takes about 15 minutes a day.
When asked if they wanted to work 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., or if they wanted to work remotely with full flexibility of their work, respondents gave a variety of responses. Monday through Friday and Saturday.
John Eastman, vice president of business development at Zimbra, says that work environments have changed. The flexibility to work from anywhere, at any time, and from any device allows employees to manage their own work on their own time, and is key in achieving productive enterprise collaboration in the modern digital workplace.
72 percent would still rate their work-life balance as good.
Ready to work, any time, any place
People shared their reasons for working after-hours, including the good feeling that comes from being on top of their work, they are working towards moving up within their company, or they don’t like to leave things unfinished.
The average person answers personal emails 12 minutes faster than the average person answers work emails. Technology has helped them improve their work-life balance.
The benefits of being able to access work through tech are easier communication, flexible times and access to resources. 89 percent think technology has the biggest impact on keeping them organized for work, while 58 percent think they are just as organized when working at home or in-person.
The flexibility and freedom of choice provided by modern technology allows us to be notified of work issues as they arise, says the director of channel management and solution advisory at Zimbra. The ability to respond quickly removes the anxiety and stress of pending issues and allows us to have a more enjoyable work life balance.
Tags: email, productivity, remote work, work-life balance, working
