SYDNEY—Blackberries are addictive, but the handheld devices also inspire resentment in some who use them.
The finding comes from a detailed study of 30 BlackBerry users in Australia and France, led by University of Sydney researcher Dr Kristine Dery.
"The BlackBerry is changing the way we work significantly, and offers organisations many more opportunities for future changes, but with the exception of time management training and email policies, companies give little thought to the impact of the BlackBerry," Dr Dery said.
Unlike laptop computers, the handheld BlackBerry is seen as more accessible and mobile, but some believe the device blurs the lines between work and personal lives.
Some respondents said they felt "switched on to work" from the moment they left home in the mornings, with one person saying: "I don't read any more on the way to or from work."
Dr Dery said while most users recognised the benefits of the technology, they expressed a level of resentment towards it.
"Interviewees often spoke about the love-hate relationship they had with their BlackBerries," she said.
According to Dr Dery, Blackberries had recently changed from being a senior management status symbol to a basic tool of trade.
"Some companies felt they needed to be seen by competitors and customers as using the latest technology," she said.
"But we found most organisations treated BlackBerries as an extension of the mobile phone, thus assigning the management of this technology to purchasing departments."
Dr Dery said companies need to be aware of providing their employees with the opportunity to switch off.
"There is a real problem for organisations where stress, burn-out and addiction to 'CrackBerries' are real threats to long term talent retention and organisational effectiveness," she said.
"Management needs to think about how to harness the benefits of BlackBerries, increasing productivity and efficiency, while minimising their downsides."
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