Do you check your email during work meetings?

By

VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – What is the proper etiquette when it comes to checking your email while in a meeting at work?

A new survey from HR firm Robert Half asks both bosses and employees that very question and came up with some very different results, depending on who you asked.

Nearly two-thirds (61%) of managers say it’s somewhat common for their employees to read and respond to emails on mobile devices during business meetings, but only four per cent of employees say it’s perfectly acceptable.

“Checking email while in meetings may seem harmless, but doing so could reflect badly on you in front of your colleagues and managers,” says David King with Robert Half Management Resources.

“While typing away on your device, your non-verbal cue may be that something is more important than the people sitting in the room with you, which could be viewed as disrespectful to colleagues. Meetings are a great way to encourage collaboration and generate ideas, but having your attention divided might mean you miss the opportunity to provide your input and add value to the conversation,” he adds.

Just over 40 per cent of workers say the practice is entirely unacceptable, while just over a quarter (28%) say it’s okay, but only if it’s urgent.

Another quarter say it’s fine, as long as you excuse yourself from the meeting to do it.

However, 15 per cent of bosses say their employees almost never check their email during a meeting.

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today