Singapore workaholics just can't switch off, survey finds

[MarrickG]

BLAME smartphones. Singaporeans can't stop themselves from keeping tabs on work, even after the work-day or when they're on vacation.

A new survey from recruitment firm Robert Half shows that almost seven in 10 Singaporeans do so - higher than the two-thirds average of those polled in four countries who say that they, too, cannot unplug from work.

Still, bustling Hong Kong carries an even higher percentage of workaholics than Singapore: 77 per cent of the respondents in Hong Kong are guilty of tuning in to work after-duty.

The survey polled 1,651 human resources and finance and accounting and banking managers in Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand.

The phenomenon of checking in regularly on work suggests mounting pressures at the work place. For instance, about two-thirds of the 411 Singaporeans polled say that they check in on work 'just in case' an emergency pops up.

Another six in 10 scan their inboxes regularly to make sure that they can better manage the e-mail deluge when they return to office.

At the same time, the survey results reveal that the compulsive checking of work is simply a sign that Singaporeans are dedicated employees.

Robert Half's survey said that 45 per cent of those polled claimed that they check in frequently because they 'like to stay on top of work issues'.

Worryingly, being plugged in has become second nature. One-quarter of respondents say that they just can't 'switch off'.

The figure of the overdemanding boss peering over an employee's shoulder is implicit in this hyper-speed work environment.

An overwhelming 96 per cent of Singaporean employers expect their staff to be contactable when they are on leave or off-duty, whereas the regional average is 83 per cent.

Still, bosses aren't entirely malevolent in their demands. A large majority - 77 per cent - say that their staff should only pick up calls during emergencies.

Far fewer of their regional counterparts are that generous: only 57 per cent of them believe that off-work summons are confined to emergencies.

Employers should ease up on their staff given the 'hyper connectivity' of the smartphone era. 'Boundaries need to be set, and employers should encourage their staff to arrange proper handovers when they go on leave and take time off in lieu for extra hours worked in consideration of their health and well-being,' said Tim Hird, managing director of Robert Half Singapore and Japan.

Bosses could also look into arrangements such as hiring temporary staff which might 'help employees achieve a better work-life balance that can in turn lead to positive results for the company'.