Hyper Connectivity in Workplaces Leaves Employees Overwhelmed and Anxious

According to a new study by University of Nottingham, it was found that digital work is increasing the anxiety and productivity in employees. The study talks about how digital workplaces are leading to psychological and physical problems in the employees because they need to be constantly online and in touch with technology. Where digital workplaces have provided endless benefits, they are also causing some issues and organizations need to address them if they need to keep their employees’ well being in check. The researchers named this new feeling as “Digital Workplace Technology Intensity (DWTI)” which talks about the emotional and mental efforts employees need to put in order to stay connected always and check their notifications for any work. They also have to deal with information overload as well as technical problems that can arise during work.

Digital workplaces allow flexible and collaborative work that employees can perform anywhere, but employees also feel overburdened with the constant workload which makes them feel more fatigued and put a strain on their mental health. There is a sense of pressure on employees who are working digitally because they need to always be updated, active and keep up with messages related to work. Even when they are on a vacation or enjoying leisure time, there is always a pressure on them to check their work emails in case they miss something.

The study did some in-depth interviews with 14 employees aged 27-60 from different industries who work in a digital workplace. The results of the interview showed five key characteristics that employees had to face. First one was hyper connectivity, which blurs the lines between their professional and personal lives as the employees feel that they have to be connected with their work all the time. Another thing was productivity anxiety as employees say that they fear being called unproductive when they are working remotely. There was also FOMO (fear of missing out) in professional settings as employees feel that they may miss important updates or messages if they are not connected all the time. There’s also “techno overwhelm” with many digital tools for communication and work, which can lead to technical difficulties anytime too.

Employees say that it is very difficult to leave work at work because there are a lot of tech tools and online connectivity options that you can work anytime and anywhere. The researchers also mentioned some suggestions for the employers like developing stronger workplace skills in employees, addressing issues related to tech platforms that overwhelm the employees, ensuring that employees are establishing boundaries between the personal and professional life and understanding their needs and preferences while they are digitally working.

Image: DIW-Aigen

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by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World