The growing prevalence of connected mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets has made the ability to work remotely a possibility for millions of employees.

But according to IT recruitment firm Mobis, this rise in flexible working is also leading to a potentially harmful blurring of the lines between working and home life.

A survey by the company revealed that many employees find remote working has resulted in their being permanently on call, reports HR Magazine.

In a poll of more than 1,000 flexible UK workers, 66 per cent said they used mobile devices for work-related purposes outside of agreed working hours, while 60 per cent admitted to checking mobile devices at the weekend.

Roy Dungworth, the managing director of Modis, warned that the constant pressure created by not being able to disconnect from work was having a negative impact on employee morale.

"Portable technology should be a liberator not a shackle for the modern workforce," he told the news provider.

"The ability to work from home when needed is a positive development, giving people greater working flexibility that ought to bring a better quality of life.

"However, businesses also need to be aware of and manage potentially negative repercussions to ensure employees don't feel mentally chained to their desks."

But there could be solutions that allow companies to continue to offer staff the chance to work remotely, while at the same time helping them stick to agreed working hours.

For example, time and attendance solutions can help employers monitor a member of staff's working hours whether they are on or off-site.

Mr Dungworth added: "IT and HR teams should work together to explain why mobile devices are being made available to employees and set clear guidelines as to exactly what is expected of them in terms of remote working