Technology Kills ‘Bankers’ Hours’
We're more productive but is there a dark side
“This is the only time I can connect with my team members. They’ve been out on calls all day,” says Laabs, vice president of sales and marketing at Independent Printing. He’s tired and looking forward to a family dinner with wife Kim and daughter Kelsey. But a cheerful chirp from his pocket often lures his thoughts back to the pressing issues of the day.
“I do look, and sometimes I need to answer. But I know I’m not giving my family my focus, and they know it too.”
Your brain on work
It’s in our human nature to respond to the type of stimulation that comes from immediate opportunities and threats. That’s why the chime of incoming e-mail or a text buzz can override other activities like writing a report or sitting down to a family meal.
Many of us credit our connectivity for greatly improving the work we do and making our lives better. But according to a New York Times/CBS News poll in May, the majority of Americans sense these devices are intrusive, have increased their stress levels and make it difficult to concentrate. People seem to find it hard to shut down after work. Almost 40 percent of us admit to checking work e-mails after hours or on vacation.
“Our brains are crying for rest,” says Lyudmila Bloch, her lilting Russian accent urgent with warning. As a Business Etiquette Expert and founder of www.EtiquetteOutreach.com, a resource site for business professionals seeking advice on professional boundaries, Bloch offers insight on how to be a team player and still protect off-work hours.
“We need to know how to say no, so that being available for deadlines and projects becomes the exception.”
Bloch says that’s easier for the older generation to do, because most Baby Boomers have worked hard to establish experience, respect and position. Not so for the younger generation.
“Today’s millennials don’t know life without the Internet. They’re very tech savvy and don’t want to be chained to a desk. They seek flexibility, but because they still need to prove themselves, they pay a price.”
The tradeoff for many 20-somethings is accepting the expectation that they answer e-mails and troubleshoot problems that arise on nights and weekends. It’s a tradeoff Ashley Schramm gladly accepts.
“It’s not uncommon to get a call from the manufacturing plant asking about an order that’s about to go on press. I would rather get that call at 6 a.m. or spend two hours working on a Sunday than have to come into work Monday at 8 a.m. and deal with a problem,” says Schramm, a customer service rep and 26-year-old “up-and-comer” at Menasha Packaging.
Schramm believes it’s crucial to be available, so she is never out of reach.
“It shows dedication to my job and answering an e-mail in the evening means I’m thinking about work even when I’m not there. If you’re looking to get to the next level, increased availability is key.”
Plugged in, stressed out
Being available and “on” after hours may advance careers, but the consequences are affecting how our brains function. Some experts believe excessively checking our e-mail can cause us to become more impatient, impulsive and – what was that other thing? – oh, forgetful.
Scientists who study neural networks in our brains say our “wiring” is changing due to pressure from being continually plugged in. Stanford University researchers report stress hormones from a glut of continual information and multitasking have even been shown to reduce short-term memory.
As one who has mastered information overload, Julia Smith doesn’t believe in multitasking, being a slave to her iPhone or checking e-mail throughout the weekend. Smith, Kimberly-Clark’s vice president of Research, Engineering and Supply Chain, is determined to set the same tone for her team.
“Generally my team won’t get e-mails from me on a Sunday night, nor do I want them responding to me on weekends,” Smith says.
It wasn’t always that way. A few years ago, she nearly allowed her first PDA to swallow her time and productivity. Organization training and corporate management programs helped her maximize her efficiency and master her screen time.
“I learned that if I’m constantly looking and responding to my iPhone I’m not giving quality and energy to the moment.”
When we lose that moment, opportunity goes out the window.
For Laabs, that realization came in the stillness of Wisconsin’s Northwoods during last year’s hunting season.
“I knew I should have been unplugged and relaxing, but instead I was quietly texting friends from my deer stand. That’s when I got an urgent long-distance call from a sales rep who put me on speaker for a lively discussion with a roomful of customers.”
Unfortunately, nerves were jangled. And worse for Laabs: “No deer came by that afternoon.”
