Is Your BlackBerry Just a Wireless Leash?

Is your company-issued BlackBerry a status symbol, an efficiency tool, or just a way of tethering you to the office more than you'd like?

Jessica Marquez of Workforce Management summed up a recent survey by WorldAtWork, which found that many employees view company gadgets as double-edged swords.

While half said that getting a smartphone made them feel valued or important at their companies, 42 percent said they believe that by getting the device, they're expected to always be available.

Most employees surveyed said they use their wireless gadgets between 1 and 5 hours a day during non-work hours. And 75 percent said they never turn their devices off.

How do you view your own smartphone?

(image by Editor B via Flickr, CC 2.0)

CC Holland

CC Holland is a writer and editor whose work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, and a number of national magazines. Online, she was a columnist for AnchorDesk.com and writes regularly for Law.com and BNET. On the other side of the journalism desk, she's been a managing editor for ZDNet, CNet, and KCBS-TV in Los Angeles, where she earned an APTRA Best News Web Site award.

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