Hand in hand with these technological advances comes a new workforce: an ever-expanding pool of digital nomads who are used to plugging in anywhere, at any time \u2013 a dynamic bunch who eschew the constraints of working from one set place and doing the standard 9-5 So far, so good. But let\u2019s remove the blinkers: while mobile technology may have allowed us to move beyond the four walls of the traditional office, allowing us to work on the go, this digital revolution does not come without its downsides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Taking it too far<\/strong> Get cultured<\/strong> Establish boundaries Make productivity count Get \u201cAppy\u201d<\/strong> Take a break Stick to the plan<\/strong> Keep it real<\/strong> Copyright\u00a92019 Bizcommunity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Unless you\u2019re a Luddite, you won\u2019t have failed to appreciate how tech has transformed the workscape. While offices were once a sea of paperwork, travel expense slips, fax machines, mobile phones the size of bricks, typewriters \u2013 you get the gist \u2013 the evolution of modern technology has consigned them all to history. Now that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":204,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-208","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bravecloud.co.za\/intsha\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/208","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bravecloud.co.za\/intsha\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bravecloud.co.za\/intsha\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bravecloud.co.za\/intsha\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bravecloud.co.za\/intsha\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=208"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/bravecloud.co.za\/intsha\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/208\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":209,"href":"https:\/\/bravecloud.co.za\/intsha\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/208\/revisions\/209"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bravecloud.co.za\/intsha\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/204"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bravecloud.co.za\/intsha\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=208"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bravecloud.co.za\/intsha\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=208"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bravecloud.co.za\/intsha\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=208"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
There\u2019s a thin line between utilising technology so it\u2019s beneficial, and taking it too far. Sadly, a growing number of people are overstepping it: so much so, we\u2019re always looking at our emails, chatting on WhatsApp and communicating via social media. Indeed, a 2017 UK study from Ofcom found that 34% of people surveyed had checked Facebook in the past 10 minutes. In short, we\u2019re addicted to tech \u2013 and it\u2019s eroding our time and attention, particularly in the workplace. Every time our smartphone buzzes or our laptop pings, we get distracted. If our line of thought is interrupted, it takes a while to get back on track. Precious time (and productivity), lost. But the misuse of tech can do more than compromise productivity, it can impact our mental wellbeing. The new \u2018always-on\u2019 culture is blurring the distinction between work and life. According to an IDC report, 80% of smartphone users say that checking their phone is the first thing they do in the morning. We don\u2019t give ourselves a digital break and this can, according to Deloitte Insights, lead to stress and anxiety, depression, poor sleep and physical disconnection. So, while technology in the workplace is a blessing, it can also be a curse. After all, what business wants a preoccupied, ineffective, stressed-out employee? Luckily, there are ways to a more balanced approach to technology. Global flexible workspace provider IWG plc\u2019s brand, Spaces, shares a few steps to make this possible:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Having the right company culture when it comes to technology goes a long way to moderating usage. A healthy tech policy, with clear communication guidelines, is vital: ensure, for example, that team members are aware of when remote workers are online and when it is\/isn\u2019t ok to contact them. Create awareness through talks and workshops of how overuse of devices can have detrimental effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>Help employees understand what is expected of them, especially when it comes to working hours. Make sure there\u2019s a clear end point to their day and that you don\u2019t overstep it. Just because someone can be contacted when they\u2019re not in the office, doesn\u2019t mean they need to be. Likewise, as an employee, if you\u2019re working remotely, set your hours and stick to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>If you want your workforce to understand that disconnecting is ok, put emphasis on productivity rather than availability. Staff should not be rewarded for being at the end of a smartphone to answer the boss\u2019s email at silly o\u2019clock; rather, they should be given credit for completing a great piece of work on schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It sounds ironic, but tech can be used as a means of avoiding tech. Give employees access to screen-time apps \u2013 like Space, Freedom or Moment \u2013 which can remind them to take a break if they\u2019ve been emailing or texting for long periods, curb social media use and create blocklists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>For the office-based, introduce a daily tech-free break when all devices are unplugged. Encourage employees to use the time to gather thoughts over a coffee, catch up with a colleague or go for a distraction-free stroll. Some companies also limit or forbid staff from sending business emails after hours; even going so far as deleting any messages employees might receive on holiday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once you have policies in place, make sure everyone sticks to them. If managers and team leaders are constantly checking their phones 24\/7, it sends out the wrong message. Those at the top should be inspiring the team to use their smartphones as a means of efficiency, not as a distraction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Encourage face-to-face meetings and social interaction with colleagues. There\u2019s nothing like a group lunch or a brainstorm to foster team spirit and get the creative juices flowing. When a get-together takes place, ensure that it\u2019s a screen-free zone. If seeing people in person isn\u2019t possible, encourage employees to stay connected in real-time by picking up the phone instead of sending texts or emails. Sometimes, it\u2019s good to talk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n