More Tech, Less Balance?

BlackBerrys, mobile apps and social media may be putting their mark on the federal workplace, but is being constantly connected always a good thing?

A recent study from Unisys and IDC finds that the use of social networks, smart phones and blogs among information workers is expected to increase rapidly over the next few years. For example, among organizations with 500 or more employees, the number of users could grow from 90 million to more than 160 million by 2014. While email currently is far more popular than Web 2.0 tools, the report notes that the pace of growth for the latter is very high.

Dan Lohrmann, chief technology officer at the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget, points out that sometimes being connected may be too much. He cites Harris Interactive survey findings that 50 emails a day may be the limit for employees when it comes to work-life balance. He writes:

Nevertheless, this is the new normal. I see no helpful trends in sight. In fact, I think our challenges are increasing with newer, faster (4-G) mobile devices. (My teenage daughter wants me to up her number of IM messages on her cell phone, so the next generation isn't slowing down.)

Some staff are feeling burned out. Almost two years ago the LA Times proclaimed that our email Inbox has become an In(sane)-box. "It happened with cigarettes. It happened with red meat. And carbs. And SUVs. And now it's happening with e-mail. The preferred communication channel of millions of Americans is no longer cool." Some companies even declared email bankruptcy - and started over with new accounts.

There's no doubt that, as a society, we've come a long way from the days when Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan captivated America in the movie You've Got Mail.

Lohrmann says that employees should step back and rethink their email habits. Do your email settings allow you to access and receive only email that you've opted into, or does your inbox fill up with messages from anyone and everyone? Does constant connection get in the way of your productivity?