Does Jersey need to rethink the 09:00 - 17:00 working culture?
Posted on 25/06/18
A recent Kendrick Rose survey to 100 professionals in Jersey has shown that only 16% of people surveyed never checked emails outside of working hours. this means that a staggering 84% of us are checking emails outside of work.
Overall, 73% of professional working respondents said that they would welcome new company policies preventing employees sending or receiving emails out of office hours. This may not be on many SME's radar today, but, could this go further than company policy in the future and become legislation?
We think that the continuing trend of smartphone use is preventing people switching off not only from work but from the digital world, generally. 47% people surveyed said that they could not go longer than one hour without checking their device.
We have been closely following global groups that are pushing for change and it seems that many Islanders would be in support of a Digital Detox Day. In fact a whopping 86% of you would like to spend less time on electronic devices.
The only question left in our minds is, what date?
Shelley Kendrick, Managing Director, Kendrick Rose, said: “The survey shows how rare 9-5 culture is now in Jersey when so many workers are connected to work by email out of office hours, at weekends, and during holidays. Regardless of the sector people work in, being in contact has become the norm.
“The way we work has changed dramatically over the past few years as virtually everyone has access to the internet at home, or on the move. It makes it easier for employees to meet deadlines and answer key questions wherever they are, but it also has its downsides. Some employees may find they end up effectively working longer hours by answering email out of the office, others may find it harder to switch off."
“It's interesting to see how many people would support policies to discourage emails out of office hours. This might be difficult for employees in certain sectors, and indeed, for employers too, but with electronic use policies already limiting out of hours emails in certain workplaces in France and Germany, I wouldn't be surprised if more companies start to consider it.”
Shelley went on to say: “We use our smartphones and tablets for everything, and recruitment is no different. Online is often the first place candidates look when they’re considering moving roles. The internet is not everything though, and the more senior the role, the greater the need for confidentiality and expert advice – something that still works better face-to-face.”
More to follow soon.