Employees ‘tied to work by wireless devices’

Almost four in ten employees respond almost immediately to work-related matters even when they are not in the office, it has been revealed.

According to Yahoo! HotJobs’ annual virtual workplace survey, 39 per cent of workers reported that they will reply to work emails or calls promptly even outside of working hours.

It was also found that 18 per cent of employees had been reprimanded for having so-called "bad manners" when it comes to their wireless device.

Commenting on the findings, Tom Musbach, managing editor of Yahoo! HotJobs, said: "As the wireless device becomes more ubiquitous for personal and professional reasons, many employees develop a psychological need for constant connection."

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He went on to say that, while this can be positive from a "professional standpoint", the use of such devices must managed and certain "missteps avoided".

Recently, Phil Flaxton, chief executive of Work Wise UK, stated that the advancement of technology has facilitated the modern phenomenon of flexible working.