Checking emails out of office hours is the norm for 67% of workers in Jersey, with 44% of people checking email around the working day, at weekends, and on holidays.
Research by recruitment specialists Kendrick Rose into the digital habits of Jersey professionals found just 16% of people never check email out of the office – a figure that rises to 25% for people working in Finance.
Following up work in progress, answering team members, and responding to clients were the most common reasons for using email out of office hours; however 21% of people also said they did it because it was ‘expected’.
52% of people surveyed believe they could do their job to the same standard if they didn’t check emails out of office hours – a figure that ranges from 29% for people who work in marketing, media and PR, to 67% for those working in professional services.
Regardless of sector, 73% of workers would welcome it if their company introduced a policy preventing employees sending or receiving emails out of office hours. Support was highest among healthcare professionals (100%) and lowest among people working in professional services or retail (50%).
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.”
Kendrick Rose surveyed over 100 people in Jersey across a range of careers: Finance, Professional Services, Healthcare, Marketing & Media, Retail, Education, and other industries.
The Kendrick Rose Digital Detox Survey also looked at how long we can go without using an electronic device (beyond time when you are asleep or not permitted to use the device.) 47% of people could not go for longer than one hour without checking their device, although nearly a quarter of people (22%) could give up their devices for longer than a weekend.
Islanders are not just using devices for work emails. 27% of islanders use electronic devices for social media, 25% for communicating with friends and family, and 6% for personal emails.
However, it seems almost everyone surveyed would like to spend less time on electronic devices. 86% of islanders would consider a Digital Detox Day – unplugging from emails and not using electronic devices for one day a week.
Shelley said: “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.”
