Technology may be eroding work-life balance

The widespread use of modern technology such as mobile phones is making it ever more difficult for employees to achieve work-life balance, a latest survey showed. The results of the survey by recruitment services provider Randstad released on Tuesday showed that some 71 percent of the employees polled in Singapore receive calls or emails outside regular office hours. About 67 percent receive work-related calls or emails when they are on annual leave. The Randstad Workmonitor Report for the first quarter of 2012 polled 405 employees in Singapore. About 45 percent of those surveyed said their employers expect them to be available at all times. The number is higher for those aged between 45 and 54 years old and for those aged between 25 and 34. Sixty percent of the workers feel they fall short of their own expectation if they don't respond to an email or phone call immediately. Karin Clarke, regional director for Singapore and Malaysia at Randstad, said companies and staff need to be mindful of the knock- on effect from technology. "Business leaders should be clear in their expectations for how 'switched on' they expect their staff to be," she said. "At the same time, employees should set their own boundaries and ensure they spend uninterrupted time with friends and family and allow themselves the chance to relax."