Will You Check Your Email at the Holiday Table

The majority of employed American adults (59 percent) check work e-mails during traditional family holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas and other major holidays, according to an online survey by Harris Interactive. Of these, more than half (55 percent) check work e-mail at least once a day and more than one in four (28 percent) do so multiple times throughout the day.

Xobni, the creators of a Microsoft Outlook add-in that helps people more manage their e-mail and business relationships, sponsored the November online survey, conducted on its behalf by Harris Interactive. The online survey received responses from 2,179 Americans aged 18 and older.

Of the respondents who say they check E-mail while on holiday, 79 percent say that they have received a work-related E-mail from a colleague or client on holidays. The onslaught of work is leading to growing contempt by American workers, with 41 percent of those who have ever received work e-mails from a co-worker/client while they had time off for the holidays saying they are annoyed, frustrated or resentful after receiving these e-mails.

Younger adults have the strongest opinion on the matter with 56 percent ages 18-34 sharing that they have the above reactions, compared to 39 percent of adults ages 35-44 and 30 percent ages 45-54. The survey also finds that 12 percent of respondents actually "dread" seeing work E-mails populate their inbox and 10 percent even feel pity for those who do send work-related e-mails on holidays.

Despite their displeasure with receiving work-related e-mails on holidays, 42 percent of those who check work e-mail while they have time off for the holidays still believe that staying up-to-date on e-mail eases their workloads once they return from break. Additionally, 19 percent of those of those who have ever received work e-mails from a co-worker/client while they had time off for the holidays even cited feeling "thankful" or "relieved" at having the distraction.

For more, read the eWeek article Americans Likely to Check Work E-mail Over the Holidays: Survey.