Study: BlackBerry Adds 15 Hours to Work Week

While BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM) has become something of a criterion issue for many enterprises, it’s gradually turn into an HR vexation as the threat of employees demanding extra time on mobile devices looms. Keeping meter sheets for personal/stage business mobile use is a bit impractical – some companies simply institute mandatory BlackBerry blackouts in ordering to save themselves the dogfingt. A UK employment law firm, Peninsula, has conducted a survey of some 600 BlackBerry-toting employees, disclosure they’re spending an average of 15 more hours a workweek as a result of the little digital ball-and-chain, and concluded that employers should promote a healthy work-sprightliness balance to avoid burnout.

“Bosses should encourage stave not to work from abode unless requirement. Inform staff that they should limit working from home. If they ar happy to employment away then ensure they agree to opt out of the level best workings week and rich person this signed. Limit the extent to which employees ar using their devices when they choose to do so; unrested employees will be less productive during the workings mean solar day.”

The 15-hour figure, however, may help some enterprises organize their work force accordingly as a rule of thumb – if it’s understood that your boss is pickings into story 15 hours spent on mobile, then you’ll be obliged to be available when out of the situation. That outlook of constant quantity availability is implicit in some environments, although only semi-legal if you’re not acquiring paid for it. Keep in mind that the survey was also conducted in the UK, where criterion practices for businesses may differ; I’m tempted to think in northland US, we spend a lot more (read: means too much) meter on BlackBerrys, and probably have a larger figure over here. In any case, smart companies should have a policy to properly compensate for mobile activity, and studies like this could help solidify ace if it’s not already in place.