8 in 10 employees who access work email spend 20 minutes a night in bed responding to messages

Research from Peninsula reveals 8 in 10 employees who access work email spend 20 minutes a night in bed responding to messages. 6 in 10 admit to responding to work email from the bathroom. Dedicated workers spend 10 hours of their own time per month [112 hours per year] responding to work email.

Peninsula also lists some of the most unusual places where people respond to work email such as the FA Cup Final and abseiling off Snowdonia.

Significant survey findings:

84% admit they respond to work email from their bed [spending on average 20 minutes per day].

62% admit to checking work email in the bathroom.

24% admit they have checked work email whilst driving.

UK workers who access work email spend almost 10 hours [9.3 hours] of their own time per month responding to work email. This equates to 112 hours per year

7 in 10 admit that their partner is displeased with responding to company email when away from work.

Peter Done, Managing Director of Peninsula said today, Modern technology and a 24 hour society means that more people need access to their email. For some people it is much quicker and easier to put together a quick email than it is to pick up the phone. Advances in technology means that people can access their email from a wide variety of devices including Blackberry devices, mobile phones and compact computers. We live in a society where we can be contacted 24 hours a day wherever we are, which obviously has advantages and in this case it's disadvantages.

When people get free time, one of first impulsive reactions is to check email. By the time you calculate how much time workers spend responding to work email much of it in their unpaid free time it certainly adds up. Individuals accessing work email out of work spend almost 10 hours [9.3 hours] per month responding to email, which equates to 112 hours per annum.

Done continues, Employees need to be aware that even though in some circumstances working out of hours may be good for business, it may not be good for them personally and we have seen from the survey that it does have an impact on their personal life. People need to find time for themselves. If an employee feels compelled to answer every email they receive then they may need to look at better ways to manage their time.

Done concludes, Email addiction has less to do with obsession and more to do with time management so workers should use this time wisely. If you do need to access your emails, set up auto replies for times when privacy is needed, offer alternative contacts where appropriate. Designate an hour at the end of each day to catch up on email. If your email volume is excessive then designate an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon. If you find that you are sending multiple emails to the same person then a telephone call may be much easier.

Some of the most unusual places where those questioned admitted to checking work email:

In the middle of a session at the hair salon

McDonalds Drive Thru [responding to email from a mobile device]

Alton Towers [responding to email from a mobile device]

Attending a Wedding [responding to email from a mobile device]

Regularly at the Gym [responding to email from a mobile device]

On the London Eye [responding to email from a mobile device]

In the middle of intimate relations

In the middle of abseiling off Snowdonia [responding to email on a Blackberry]

At the FA Cup Final [responding to email from a mobile device]

At a concert [responding to email from a mobile device]