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Managers urged to 'switch off' away from the office
HR News |
23/07/2010
A new survey conducted by the Institute of Leadership and Management has found that over a third of managers continue to work while on annual leave.
Some 80 per cent of bosses said they respond to emails while on holiday, over half receive phone calls and ten per cent admit they even go into the office.
Blackberries and smartphones seem to be the main culprits for holiday work, with over two-thirds of respondents admitting to checking them at least once a day, if not more.
And such behaviours appear to be having a negative impact on both the individuals and their organisations, with four out of ten returning from their break more stressed than when they left.
According to Ben Willmott, senior public policy advisor for the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, managers could also be setting a bad example for their employees by failing to switch off.
He noted that the increasing prevalence of flexible working and mobile technology has made it far easier for managers to keep in touch with the office during days off and periods of holiday, with many now struggling to draw a barrier between their work and home lives.
However, this is likely to have a negative effect in the long term, and could ultimately end up undermining individuals' health and productivity, he said.
If managers choose to exercise such behaviour, the same can potentially be expected of members of the general workforce, Mr Willmott suggested.
"As a manager, you should be leading by example and getting out the office when you can, taking a break of some shape or form, and encouraging your staff to take a break as well," he added.
Posted by Jon Aspinell
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