Constant connectivity is something of a constant in the modern working life.  What might this sense of being always on have on both our working and personal lives?  That was the question a recent paper set out to examine.

The study, from North-West University in South Africa, conducted a number of interviews to explore just how people tend to feel about the apparent encroachment of work in their social lives via our digital tools.

Being always on

The participants revealed that they had an average of three digital devices, with a variety of uses for each of them, ranging from games to media, email to sport.

When the data from the interviews was analyzed, the results appeared surprisingly positive.  Participants revealed that their digital devices had a positive impact on everything from their efficiency and productivity to their availability.  What’s more, this wasn’t just the case with employers but also friends and family.

Of course, it wasn’t entirely positive, with participants also revealing a pressure to respond rapidly to emails and other messages, whilst also revealing concerns about a reduction in face-to-face time with people.

“One unique finding from this research was the overall positive experiences of [information and communication technology] outweighing the negative experiences,” the authors say.

All of which is interesting, but there are some significant caveats attached to the study.  Firstly, the sample size was pretty small, with just 25 participants used.  Secondly, it did rely purely on the comments of people themselves rather than those around them such as their boss or partner.  There was also a lack of any real breakdown in feedback by device, so it’s hard to tell whether some devices were more positive than others.

It’s also quite possible that young people that have grown up with this way of living and working literally know no other way and so have little to really compare things against.

Nevertheless, as connected employees seem only to be on the rise, it may provide some interesting food for thought.