Technostress in Organizations

Information and communication technologies (ICT) are more prevalent in the work environment than ever before, creating benefits for employees (e.g., automation of tedious tasks) and organizations (e.g., cost savings). However, evidence indicates that individual interaction with ICT may lead to detrimental effects such as symptoms of lowered psychological and physiological health (e.g., fatigue), reduced job satisfaction, and lowered productivity. This negative side of ICT is referred to as technostress (TS). Although the term was coined more than 30 years ago, the phenomenon has received increased research attention in recent years, and this, in turn, has facilitated the development of new insights into the phenomenon. Often, however, research results have been derived based on mere survey studies or in laboratory settings. Thus, it is the purpose of this study to draw a more complete picture of the factors and mechanisms that lead to TS by studying the phenomenon in the field (i.e., in an organization), answering the main research question: How and why does TS occur in organizations, and how do employees cope with it? Based on existing cybernetic theories of organizational stress, we developed a new integrated theoretical framework to study TS in organizations, which constitutes the basis for a field study. As the phenomenon is highly dynamic in nature (e.g., due to spontaneous events like computer break downs), a longitudinal approach (i.e., repeated data collection over several months at a time) is needed to study TS causes and effects. Also, using traditional means of data collection which involve the perceptions of individuals alone (e.g., interviews, focus groups, or questionnaires) are not be sufficient to draw a complete picture of this phenomenon. It has been shown that the often unconscious detrimental effects of TS (e.g., strains that result from elevations of stress hormones) cannot be fully reported by participants. This, in turn, makes data collection methods from neurobiology and medicine an important complement to the more traditional methods. In addition to interviews and questionnaires, among other more traditional methods, we therefore also measure bodily symptoms, including heart rate, blood pressure, and stress-related substances such as cortisol and alpha-amylase. Based on the findings, we advance our theoretical framework, thereby contributing to a better theoretical understanding of TS. Also, we provide a methodological contribution by showing how a mixed methods approach can be applied to the study of TS. The results of this study facilitate the development of effective TS countermeasures.

Technostress has emerged as a significant challenge in both business and society. With our increasing reliance on digital technologies, the complexity and potential negative effects associated with their use are also growing. This led to a comprehensive research project aimed at examining the occurrence of technostress in organizations and exploring effective coping strategies for employees. Information and communication technologies (ICT) have undoubtedly revolutionized the way we work, offering benefits such as task automation and cost savings. However, extensive interaction with ICT can have adverse effects on individuals` psychological and physiological health, job satisfaction, and productivity. Research activities focused on identifying triggers of technostress and developing preventive measures. A significant contribution was the development of the Digital Stressor Scale, an innovative self- assessment tool for measuring the perceived strain associated with digital technologies in the workplace. This instrument shed light on how and why ICTs can lead to stress, forming the basis for organizational interventions to mitigate technostress. In addition to specific triggers of technostress, ongoing fundamental research provided valuable insights for designing effective interventions to cope with technostress. Significant manifestations of technostress addressed in the project included electronic performance monitoring by employers, IT-based interruptions, and video conference fatigue. The concept of "digital detoxing" was also a subject of investigation in the project. Digital detoxing involves temporary or complete abstinence from digital technologies and offers a promising approach to alleviate technostress and its associated negative effects. Strategies such as taking breaks from social media platforms and computer work were explored as potential solutions to reduce the burden of digital technologies and improve well-being. Furthermore, scientific publications on heart rate and heart rate variability were examined to investigate methods, findings, as well as the reliability and validity of wearables used in these studies. Overall, technostress poses a significant challenge for both the business world and society at large. Scientific research is crucial to ensure positive interactions between people and technology, given the use and role of digital technologies, as well as the rapid pace of technological change, particularly in the rapidly advancing digital transformation. By examining technostress and its impacts, this project aimed to mitigate negative effects and promote mindful engagement with the digital world. The findings have implications for enhancing well-being, promoting effective work practices, and developing strategies to combat the negative effects of technostress. The project contributed to both foundational and empirical research and also stimulated further research in related areas.