The Effects of Workplace Telepressure

What are the most important things to bring with you when you go anywhere? If I had to guess, your phone likely makes that list. We have our phones with us almost 24/7. It stays in our pocket or bag, we reach for it out of comfort, we keep it next to our beds with alarms to wake us up in the morning, etc. Phones have become more than a convenient tool; they have become a lifeline for many of us. We feel lost when we don’t have our phones with us, and while there are many benefits of staying connected through our phones, there are also several downsides. The main one I want to address is the effects of workplace telepressure.

This refers to an employee’s urge to quickly respond to work-related messages, regardless of time or location. Did you know that “mobile device” is the general term for a handheld computer? Our smartphones are small computers that we carry around with us. We can text people, look things up, go on social media, save files, send out emails, and more. This is incredibly convenient in today’s age, but it also adds to the pressure that many people feel to respond to every message they see.

If I see that I am getting a phone call from someone that I know, I cannot ignore it. It is not in my nature to let it go to voicemail, and I would feel incredibly guilty. The same thing happens when I see a text message or email. I feel like I have to respond right away because I have seen the message. So where does the line begin and end for responding to work-related messages outside of working hours?

If your boss reaches out to you on a Saturday, a day that you are off of work, asking you to do something really quickly for them, would you go ahead and do it if you were available, or would you wait until Monday? If you do decide to wait until the weekend is over, would you be concerned that your boss would be upset with you? We are gradually losing the boundaries between working hours and taking time off because we are always connected to technology. Some people think it is disrespectful to ignore a message just because you are not on the clock, while others think it is not their responsibility while they are not getting paid.

This is a grey area for many people. I personally don’t mind performing work tasks outside of my traditional hours if they are necessary because I have never felt like my boss is taking advantage of me or my time. However, if I was constantly pressured into working during my time off, I would quickly grow frustrated. We need time to unwind and recharge after a long day of work. If we don’t have enough of a break in between work days, we are more likely to experience burnout, which can lead to lower productivity and even turnover. It can also affect our overall mental health.

To avoid the effects of workplace telepressure within your organization, it is important to set clear expectations and boundaries that both the employers and the employees agree to. Instead of saying something like, “Respond to any and all messages ASAP,” encourage your team to “respond to work-related messages by the end of the next business day” or whatever you decide is a reasonable timeframe. Give your employees the time to relax during their time off, and don’t expect them to respond at late hours of the night. Really, your expectation should be that they work during operational hours, and you should not expect them to respond outside of those hours, but if they choose to, you should recognize and appreciate them for that.

Workplace telepressure is becoming increasingly problematic for the working class because it is easier than ever before to stay connected through technology. While this is often to our advantage, we must be careful about having unrealistic expectations of our employees for their response times. Also, remember that just because you are choosing to work late at night, over the weekend, or during your scheduled time off does not mean that your employees have to do the same, and what they do or don’t do during their time off should not affect the overall evaluation of their performance. Encourage your employees, and even yourself, to take the time off to relax and recharge. Healthy minds lead to healthy working cultures. Don’t fall victim to the effects of workplace telepressure.

-Meghan Slaughter