Anticipation of after-hours emails exhausts employees

The introduction of smartphones and tablets has allowed people to stay connected when they’re travelling for meetings. However, a new study shows that the anticipation of receiving after-hours emails is stressing employees out to the point of exhaustion.

The study, “Exhausted But Unable to Disconnect” by Leigh University, Virginia Tech and Colorado State University, reveals that in addition to the amount of time people spend answering emails, anticipating receiving after-hours emails stresses employees out and causes emotional exhaustion.

Using data from 297 working adults, the study authors found that employees who feel they have to respond to emails received after office hours can’t “switch off” and suffer from emotional exhaustion. They say organisations who expect staff to answer after-hours emails – or do nothing to stop employees thinking they have to – are a major part of the problem.

According to the research, companies don’t even have to create a formal policy regarding out-of-hours messages; they add to employee stress levels by normalising an “always-on” culture through attitudes and behaviour.

The authors are calling on employers to take steps toward providing relief for staff by putting policies in place to manage how employees handle after-hours emails. They suggest establishing email-free days or setting up a rota for various managers to be responsible for emails out of the office.

Read the original article at bit.ly/2b5gD8G