IT in the Workplace and how It Affects Work-life Balance Research Paper

IT in the Workplace and how It Affects Work-life Balance - Research Paper Example The virtual world of the internet has taken personal and work lives by storm in entering a deep zone of human consciousness and subconsciousness. (Duxbury 15) It has become a near involuntary exercise to stay in the world of the Internet due to the worldwide acceptance and need for this technology in professional, social and financial spheres of life. The advent of the Internet, Internet Rich Applications, and Smart Devices together have led to the fading of boundaries between work and personal life. While holding a Smartphone in hand there is a possibility of getting a notification from one’s employer about an upcoming task or an urgent call to made that very day, or perhaps a call from a client or boss. Hardware devices like Smartphones, PDAs, Tablets, and Pads have affected work-life balance to a great extent. The introduction of such devices in one’s life has led to 24 X 7 seamless connections with the Internet, email accounts, instant messengers, office network etc. This increases the chance of being contacted for official work on weekends, vacations or even while one is sick. Randstad Work Monitor Report for Quarter 1 2012 revealed that majority of employees in Singapore struggle to achieve work-life balance as technology infiltrated daily lives and virtually resulting in being connected to the office while attending to personal and social life. (Asia One 1) A Canadian researcher, Linda Duxbury, through her focused study has found that tools like emails, blackberry, instant messenger, professional networks, PDAs, laptops, pads, Palmtop PDAs have increased the expectations of being available anywhere and anytime. It adds to the stress and burden of the employee and raises hopes of managers expecting people to reply and respond to messages or answer calls even when they are away from work. (The Conversation 1) It indeed makes one stressed if he or she is not able to attend a phone call or reply to a mail or message immediately.