Linked – The Pressure Of Answering Work Emails At Night Takes Toll On Mental Health, Study Finds
I don’t find either one of these things surprising, at all.
“The results are largely what you’d expect, and what the authors predicted: People who felt simply the expectation of having to answer work emails during non-work hours were more anxious, and reported more relationship stress and poorer health. As the team writes, the “omnipresent specter of organizational expectations” affect people on many levels, and not for the better.
A larger follow-up study confirmed the results, and added another interesting dimension: partner satisfaction. While the participants themselves didn’t necessarily report poorer relationship quality, their significant others did—which suggests that pressure to be available can affect the people one lives with, too.”
And yet, at least in my industry, we tout our “always available” employees, and heap praise upon the people willing to respond at any hour. Even as we probably destroy them in the process.
