Speaking at the British Psychological Society’s (BPS) Division of Occupational Psychology annual conference in Liverpool and published in Science Daily, Prof Gail Kinman presented findings from a survey that revealed that out of nearly 400 organisations, less than half of them provided their employees with guidance on how to switch off.

Surprisingly, more than half also had no formal policies in place to help their employees balance work demands with personal life in general.

While 24% of those surveyed acknowledged that using devices such as smartphones could improve communication at work and boost productivity, the negative effects of technology on relationships at work (21%) and wellbeing (27%) were also highlighted.

Prof Kinman said: “Our findings clearly show that organisations are not helping their staff accommodate to the changing world of work which is likely to have a negative impact on their wellbeing, their work-life balance and their effectiveness.

“Many individuals we surveyed clearly feel under great pressure not to switch off, leading to intense pressure, poorer performance and worry about what the immediate future holds.

“It’s time to take a more proactive approach to helping employees and organisations become more ‘e-resilient’ and to manage technology in a more healthy and sustainable way.”

* Findings are from a survey conducted by Dr Almuth McDowall (Birkbeck, University of London) and Prof Kinman (University of Bedfordshire) and presented at the BPS Annual Conference on Fri 6 January.