New data from iPass (News - Alert), Inc. tells us that mobile workforce productivity is up, citing that as much as 60 percent of mobile employees are clocking 50-60 hour work weeks. While this is a certain boost for productivity, the increase in getting more done means that accompanying stress levels are following suit and climbing as well.

In this always-connected era, it’s easier to hop on to a connection with a mobile device and keep working past normal business hours. The report found that mobile workers will also go to extremes to keep going, saying that 29 percent have actually pilfered wireless unsecured networks while 30 percent will drive around until they actually find free Wi-Fi.

"Connectivity is like oxygen for today's mobile workers. The improved ability to work anywhere as long as they are connected appears to be driving higher productivity. This reinforces the need for IT departments to provide services that ensure high quality, safe and affordable global connectivity for their employees," said Evan Kaplan, chief executive officer at iPass. "

The report has also found that mobile usage is causing slightly increased friction in mobile workers' personal lives with their partners, family and friends. The highest amount of friction was reported in Europe at 38 percent, followed by 33 percent of North Americans and 30 percent of Asian respondents. Also, iPass found that Saturday and Sunday are the most popular days to work remotely (30 percent) followed by Friday at 22 percent.

Of course, all of this productivity comes with nighttime awaking and stress. iPass found that mobile workers are sleeping with their smartphones nearby, 58 percent of North Americans, in fact, with 50 percent of all respondents report waking at night due to work stress.

“While having control over when, where and how one works is a significant benefit in terms of well-being, mobile workers themselves need to take care to manage the unique stressors that an always connected work-life brings,” said Kaplan.

Fifty-six percent of Asian mobile workers, sometimes or obsessively, wake up during the night to check their smartphone, followed by 31 percent of North Americans and 21 percent of Europeans.

The first thing 38 percent of North American mobile workers do when they wake up is check e-mail, followed by 33 percent in Asia and 29 percent in Europe.