The internet is almost everywhere and almost everybody – about 90 per cent of the UAE population – is connected to it. Most of us wouldn’t have it any other way: the ability to access information, amuse ourselves and contact friends and family instantly has become a part of who we are. But it can also be something of a burden.
Before we all jumped online, it would have been nearly impossible to do office work while enjoying a family meal or lying on a beach. Now, it's not only possible but, as The National's Workplace Doctor column pointed out yesterday, some bosses expect that their staff will work after hours and while on holidays. The question is: just because you're always contactable, should you always be "on"?
Studies suggest that a healthy work-life balance improves overall productivity. Fully rested, unstressed people work harder and make better decisions. Perhaps it’s time for other employers to follow the example of German carmaker Volkswagen and switch off employees’ email 30 minutes after their shifts end.
