Stress stemming from the use of technology in workplaces can drive millions of employees across the world to quit, a new report from Adaptavist has warned.
The report, which surveyed 4,000 knowledge workers in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, and Germany, explored the impact of technology and processes on employees’ workplace happiness.
“Technology is supposed to empower workplaces, but for many staff it has become a source of stress, anxiety, and cognitive overload,” the report read.
“This ‘technostress’ is a direct result of poor implementation, lack of training, and weak workplace cultures.”
According to the findings, 64% of employees feel that technology has negatively impacted their lives at work.
The impact of technostress can be disruptive to organisations, as five per cent of employees said they had quit their job because of workplace technology.
Another 12% said they took sick leave or time off work, while 23% said they are looking for a new job.
According to Adaptavist, the five per cent resignation rate from workplace tech could mean that as many as 50 million workers are leaving their jobs annually.
“Instead of streamlining communication, technology is compounding it, leaving workers more distracted than ever,” the report read.
Source of ‘technostress’
Reasons behind “technostress” varied, according to the report.
More than a quarter of employees (27%) said they regularly feel digital overwhelm, with 43% blaming their stress on the volume of notifications and the burden of using multiple platforms at work.
More than one in five employees (21%) also said the lack of training on new tools directly fuels their stress and anxiety. Others said workplace tech pressured them to:
- Remain connected outside of working hours (19%)
- Prove their productivity through digital metrics (17%)
Digital communication is also a cause of stress among employees, where 18% said they feel excluded or incompetent from a colleague’s message and 28% are worried about being misinterpreted.
Reversing the ‘technostress’
Neal Riley, Innovation Lead, The Adaptavist Group, blamed bad change management for technostress within organisations.
“There is a pressing need to address ‘technostress’ head-on. Technology rollouts fail not because of bad technology, but because of bad change management,” Riley said in a statement.
Nearly half of the respondents (48%) said fostering a culture where people can feel comfortable to ask for help will enable workplace technologies rather than frustrate.
More than four in 10 respondents also underscored the importance of receiving further training, technical support, as well as dedicated learning resources.
“The companies that succeed in preventing burnout and disengagement will focus on more than selecting the right tools; they will focus on the human elements, from preserving worker autonomy to creating supportive cultures around technology adoption,” Riley said.
“Cultivating a workforce that understands its purpose, sees its impact, and feels supported rather than overwhelmed by technology isn’t just important to the individual; it’s also essential to protecting business bottom lines.”