Technology in the workplace continues to be a hot topic, but according to a recent survey by CV-Library, the UK’s leading independent job board, over two thirds of workers (67.4%) don’t use social media whilst at work, and of those that do, the majority (45%) will only do so for up to 15 minutes.
The study surveyed 1,200 workers on their opinions around technology in the workplace, and whether it is a distraction or an enabler to professionals. Interestingly, the survey found that despite 56.1% admitting that they use smart phones while they’re at work, the majority (79.8%) do not use technology to do personal tasks during work hours. Other key findings revealed:
- Over a third (39.7%) of workers admitted to taking time out of their working day to contact friends or family on the phone
- However, of those, the majority (73.3%) would only do so for a maximum of 15 minutes
- A further 50% said they would not check personal emails whilst at work
- And over three quarters (77.4%) would not waste time browsing the internet and looking at irrelevant sites during work hours
Furthermore, the study found that 66.4% of employers have rules in place regarding the use of technology for personal use, and for the majority (46.3%) this means they cannot use their phone at work. A further 22.6% said they are not allowed to use social media and 16.9% are not allowed to surf the internet during work hours.
Lee Biggins, founder and managing director of CV-Library comments: “With new technologies always emerging and access to emails and shared working spaces from almost anywhere, the lines between our work and our private lives are becoming increasingly blurred. It is therefore very positive to see that professionals are being careful not to spend their working hours doing personal errands or making calls; drawing a more definitive line between their work and home life. By putting simple rules in place, businesses can ensure that their staff are operating at maximum productivity during work hours, but that they are able to switch off and leave work behind at the end of the day.”
The survey also found that the majority (87.3%) of professionals think that using technology at work is beneficial. When asked why they felt is it useful to them, respondents said that it enables them to connect with customers and clients from all over the world (30%), helps them to communicate with people in real time (26.2%), saves time (15.6%) and enables them to work from different locations (13.7%).
Biggins concludes: “It’s clear that technology is both important and useful to today’s professionals, enabling them to work remotely and connect with people all over the world. That said, it’s important that workers stay focused when using these technologies. If you notice your workforce are becoming increasingly distracted by technology, it may be time to put some rules in place regarding personal usage. This way you can ensure that they remain focused at work, whilst also promoting a healthy work-life balance.”
