Handling Technology (part of work-life balance)

It's too easy to blame technology, eg that powers smartphones loaded with email, apps, instant messaging services, etc for the always-on or 24/7 culture. ThIs culture is contributing to a rising level of burnout which encouraged new legislation protecting employee’s rights to disconnect.

However, the need to disconnect is less about technology and more about our work practices surrounding the use of technology.

There is a need to set boundaries so that staff don't feel overwhelmed by today's hyper-connected workplace. Some ideas on this include:

-  respecting the weekend, ie not contacting staff during weekends

-  respecting after-work family time, ie not contacting staff during these times

-  scheduling messages to be sent at the most convenient time, ie during working hours, not after hours; not sending messages during breaks like lunch time

-  scheduling times for when you do your uninterrupted, high-value work; as your energy levels can ebb and flow in different ways throughout the day, it is best to plan to do your hardest tasks when you are most alert; leaders should set the example rather than telling staff what to do.
(main source: Euan Black, 2024a)

Don't let technology control you; you need to control the technology; it is up to each individual how they interact with technology.

This is linked with getting a better work-life balance.

(for more detail, see elsewhere in Knowledge Base)