In a recent Fast Company article, 1 in 3 people are technologically tied to their job during "off hours". http://www.fastcompany.com/1622778/work-life-balance-connected-smartphones-recession-blackberry-iphone-rim-apple
What does this implicate about employee value, loyalty, and off time? In some cases, as this article alludes to, management uses this "tethering" as a performance measurement. Meaning, if "they answer my/customer call, e-mail, etc. when they are "off" they are doing a good job. "
Are we creating employees who don't feel that they can take time off in the fear of their employment and even reviews being impacted negatively? Is it because we have cut so much from our organizations that we cannot effectively handle the work required, that we need employees to always be connected? Is this really saving our companies money?
We need to examine our organizations and departments to look at our processes and efficiencies to ensure our employees are working appropriately (working on the right things) and that we are not using them as a infinite bridge. If we have removed people and/or processes and we have another person "tethered" to monitor and manage the gap we must examine the duration of gap and reasons why we are filling this gap. It may come out that the band aid can be permanently removed, freeing up the "connected" employee to work on more strategic items for the growth and goals of the organization.
Now, you will have an employee who is not in fear, who will perform better for you and your organization.
What does this implicate about employee value, loyalty, and off time? In some cases, as this article alludes to, management uses this "tethering" as a performance measurement. Meaning, if "they answer my/customer call, e-mail, etc. when they are "off" they are doing a good job. "
Are we creating employees who don't feel that they can take time off in the fear of their employment and even reviews being impacted negatively? Is it because we have cut so much from our organizations that we cannot effectively handle the work required, that we need employees to always be connected? Is this really saving our companies money?
We need to examine our organizations and departments to look at our processes and efficiencies to ensure our employees are working appropriately (working on the right things) and that we are not using them as a infinite bridge. If we have removed people and/or processes and we have another person "tethered" to monitor and manage the gap we must examine the duration of gap and reasons why we are filling this gap. It may come out that the band aid can be permanently removed, freeing up the "connected" employee to work on more strategic items for the growth and goals of the organization.
Now, you will have an employee who is not in fear, who will perform better for you and your organization.
Tips:
1) Look at why an employee is tethered
2) Examine processes to investigate opportunities to eliminate the tethering
3) Stop using the tethering as a performance measurement
4) Engage the tethered employee to learn about this specific experience and gain their thoughts
5) Prioritize the employees ideas on a remedy for the situation
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