Workers warned against 'virtual desking'
24/04/2007 14:18

With office products having kept up with the technological revolution, employees are being given the opportunity to work in an increasingly flexible fashion.

Flexible working practices have in particular been particularly bolstered since the advent of wireless technologies, laptops and the like, which enable workers to carry on with projects and tasks even when they are not in the vicinity of office equipment.

However, according to one psychologist, the distinctions between work and leisure time are increasingly being blurred as a result of the technological developments.

Professor Graham Jones, of the performance development consultancy Lane4, tells onrec.com: "Managers may have the luxury of being able to manage their workload whenever wherever, but increasingly they're losing their grip on a healthy work life balance."

Professor Jones also cited how figures compiled by the Work Foundation showed how almost a third of managers are failing to take their full quota of holiday each year because they are too busy.

He identified how there were a number of ways in which managers could lessen their work burden, which would entail "setting an example" in creating a work-life balance.

This included creating effective hand-over notes and procedures, a process which could be smoothed by acquiring sound office supplies and office products.