More than half (62%) of Americans who are currently employed use the Internet to email at work and they have mixed feelings about the impact technology has on their work lives according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project.

The positives are the increased connectivity and flexibility that the Internet gives them at work but the downside is many workers say the Internet has added stress and new demands to their lives.

The survey found that the overwhelming majority (96%) of workers use the Internet, email or have a cell phone for some purpose in their lives. Eighty percent say these technologies have improved their ability to do their job.

Close to three quarters (73%) say these technologies have improved their ability to share ideas with co-workers. More than half (58%) say these tools have allowed them more flexibility in the hours they work.

Just under half (49%) say these technologies increase the level of stress in their job and 49 percent these technologies make it harder for them to disconnect from their work whne they are at home and on the weekends. Forty-six percent say these tools increase demands that they work more hours.

“American workers have a love-hate relationship with technology,” said Mary Madden, Senior Research Specialist with the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project and co-author of the report.

“Along with the benefits of increased connectivity comes a host of new issues into workers’ lives. How do you strike a work-life balance when you are always reachable by the boss? What counts as overtime work when you are ‘on the clock’ at all hours? How much personal online browsing can you do while you are sitting in your cubicle? These challenges pervade many work places today.”

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