Editor's note: This article appeared in the September 30, 2009, edition of Quirk's e-newsletter.

Mobile communications technology is driving changes in employee behavior and a shift in work-life balance, with 84 percent of workers saying technology has boosted their personal productivity, according to a study from Kelly Services, a Troy, Mich., staffing agency. Seventy-five percent say the opportunity provided by devices such as smartphones and laptops to remain in constant contact with work is a positive development, even though approximately one-third are working longer hours as a result of being remotely connected. In fact, more than half (55 percent) are happy with their current work-life balance, despite longer days and staying in "work mode" more often. In deciding where to work, 87 percent of respondents say a policy for working remotely is an important factor. The findings are part of the Kelly Global Workforce Index, which surveyed approximately 100,000 people in 34 countries in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific.

In North America, more respondents (64 percent) are happy with their work-life balance than elsewhere across the globe, and just 30 percent are working longer hours as a result of the new technology, lower than in Europe or Asia-Pacific. Sixty-seven percent of Baby Boomers are experiencing a better work-life balance than younger generations. In Europe, satisfaction with work-life balance (49 percent) is lower than in the rest of the world, and 49 percent of Gen Y workers place a greater emphasis on a work-life balance than older generations. More respondents (41 percent) in Asia-Pacific are working longer hours due to technological advances compared to other regions, and 79 percent of Gen X employees are the world's most enthusiastic about maintaining virtual contact with their workplace.