A recent global survey by recruiting experts Hays revealed nearly three quarters of professionals check their emails outside of work hours. This has the potential to impact professionals’ mental wellbeing, if they feel they are unable to detach from work outside of hours.
Hays, recently surveyed over 2,700 people across the globe to ask whether they check their emails outside of standard working hours and their reasons for doing so. Of the 73% who said they do check their emails, 54% said it is to keep on top of their work, while 34% said they want to make themselves available in case they are needed. And worryingly, a further 19% stated they find it difficult to switch off from work and 19% said they feel it is expected of them.
Hays also asked respondents how often they check their emails outside of work, 67% said they check once or twice an evening and 22% stated they constantly check their emails.
Sandra Henke, Hays Group Head of People & Culture, commented on the results, “Working outside of hours too often doesn’t allow employees to switch off from work. If they fail to strike the right work life balance it could lead employees to feeling tired and less relaxed, even eventually leading to employee burnout. It’s important for employers to help their workforce in achieving a more positive, balanced and healthy relationship with their work.”
Earlier this year, the World Health Organization (WHO) classified burnout as a legitimate medical diagnosis. According to the organisation’s handbook, symptoms can include; feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; increased mental distance from one's job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one's job; and reduced professional efficacy. According to the WHO, one in four people in the world will be affected by mental or neurological disorders at some point in their lives.
Alistair Cox, Hays CEO, has previously commented on employee burnout and offers this advice to business leaders; “Sometimes it’s inevitable, you will have to work late or over the weekend. But as a leader, you shouldn’t set that expectation in your team through your actions. For instance, if you’re working late, try scheduling your emails to be sent during working hours if you can. This will limit the risk of employees feeling obligated to answer or work during their personal time.”
Responses were gathered from a web poll conducted on social.hays.com between 1 August 2019 and 28 August 2019
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About Hays
Hays plc (the "Group") is a leading global professional recruiting group. The Group is the expert at recruiting qualified, professional and skilled people worldwide, being the market leader in the UK and Asia Pacific and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe and Latin America. The Group operates across the private and public sectors, dealing in permanent positions, contract roles and temporary assignments. As at 30 June 2019 the Group employed 11,500 staff operating from 265 offices in 33 markets across 20 specialisms. For the year ended 30 June 2019:
– the Group reported net fees of £1,129.7 billion and operating profit (pre-exceptional items) of £248.8 million;
– the Group placed around 81,000 candidates into permanent jobs and around 254,000 people into temporary assignments;
– 18% of Group net fees were generated in Australia & New Zealand, 27% in Germany, 23% in United Kingdom & Ireland and 32% in Rest of World (RoW);
– the temporary placement business represented 57% of net fees and the permanent placement business represented 43% of net fees;
– Hays operates in the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Chile, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UAE, the UK and the USA