Technostress is a real phenomenon that is increasingly affecting today’s employees, especially in the hybrid working model. They get significant exposure to new technologies in their professional and personal lives, which is not always positive. Among technology-related stressors are information and sensory overload and the pressure to be always-on, to name just a few. Knowing this, we should give a serious thought to ways of minimising these negative effects so as to make hybrid work efficient and less taxing. This article takes a closer look at how technostress affects employees and what steps they can take to avoid it effectively.
What is technostress specifically, and why does it affect hybrid workers so often?
Technostress was defined for the first time in 1984 by Craig Beard as “a modern disease of adaptation”. It is mainly caused by users failing to manage the challenges of constantly evolving modern technology in a sound way. The definition was later extended to describe technostress as the adverse effects of technology on the attitude, thoughts, behaviour and mental state of users. It may come as a consequence of using technology directly, as well as result from the changes it brings on in professional and private life.
Those working in a hybrid model are particularly vulnerable to technostress. This is primarily due to the demand to constantly adapt to new tools, platforms and management systems in a company, and the pressure to be always available and productive in the virtual realm. The never-ending having to play catch-up with what AI is capable of and the pressure to respond immediately when working away from the office can lead to overload, exhaustion and, consequently, reduced productivity and poor mental health.
What causes technostress in hybrid work?
When COVID-19 first broke out, teleworking was seen as a temporary solution to protect employee health and wellbeing while ensuring business continuity. Nowadays, the remote work mode has become the norm in many offices, which make efforts to provide optimal conditions for this kind of work, e.g. by introducing Hushoffice acoustic pods for video conferencing and telephone conversations with telecommuters.
When working in the flexible hybrid model, technology is an integral part of daily business, so specific stressors emerge. Two areas are particularly involved: techno-anxiety, which manifests itself as difficulties in following and using new technology, and techno-addiction, which refers to excessive use of it. Further exploring this topic, we discuss other stressors such as techno-invasion (a sense of constant reachability and accessibility), techno-uncertainty (fear of facing technical problems), techno-complexity (fear of not being competent enough to use and keep up with technology) and techno-insecurity (job threat due to ICT) [1].
How can employers safeguard employees against technostress?
Reducing technostress in a workplace involves the implementation of strategies and creation of a supportive environment that addresses the adverse effects of technology on employees. Below are some ways to mitigate technostress.
Limit the time employees are available and use technology
Handling technostress well requires employees to cut down on their online availability hours and take short breaks during the office day. Ideally, they should not use company messaging systems after work, among other things. The feeling of being ‘always connected’ can lead to work-family conflicts and burnout.
The path to digital wellness: encourage employees to take breaks
Ensuring the office has quiet areas or relaxation zones where employees can take a rest not distracted by screens is always a good idea. These breaks regenerate the mind, while potentially promoting interaction in the office, which can stop the ICT work-induced feeling of isolation. Companies, even small ones, can find it worthwhile to create tech-free zones, for example using the hushFree.L acoustic pods for 4-6 people. The cabin can be fitted with suitable tables, sofas or additional coffee tables for the purpose of relaxation. The pods are specifically designed so that you can cut off devices with all incoming notifications, and even the excess sound from the open space.
Training in the healthy and effective use of technology
Invest your time, technology and money to educate employees in-depth about the latest technology. Explain what benefits the effective use of technology can bring and how significantly it can reduce technostress sources, including techno-complexity, techno-security and techno-uncertainty. If your employees are equipped with the necessary tools and knowledge, your organisation can effectively prevent technostress before it can disrupt your regular business.
Reducing message overload
Faster information flow is one of the main advantages arising from using advanced technology in contemporary business, which entails communication between colleagues, customers and suppliers. While implementing a latest information sharing app for hybrid teams seems like great news, it often, in fact, prompts home office workers to be always online and can lead to nervous system overload from excessive stimuli.
To effectively protect employees from technostress, employers should employ strategies to reduce unnecessary communication, especially via e-mail. You can encourage staff to organiseeffective face-to-face or online meetings focused only on specific tasks or projects rather than stick to communication methods involving endless messaging. Such an approach reduces the number of unnecessary text messages and increases the quality of collaboration. Companies should ensure that appropriate spaces are devoted to short video meetings with team members working outside the office. However, you can quickly resolve any problems and concerns over a short video call to your peers in another department, even if they are working in the same building. Our hushFree.S acoustic office booths will be a perfect solution for this purpose, as they ensure that your video call does not interfere with others’ work and also increases the mental comfort of the participants.