Technostress During Covid-19
An issue with modern adaptation known as "technostress" results from an inability to
cope with new technologies (Camacho & Barrios, 2022). People may experience two types of technological stress: they find it challenging to accept computer technology or become overly reliant on it. Many people were forced to isolate themselves due to Covid-19 and get used to using technology from home. People who worked for many companies that switched to at-home offices had to telework from their homes (Camacho & Barrios, 2022). Many elderly individuals have trouble and still have trouble using technology effectively (Van et al., 2022). If technology use is not adequately controlled, stress may result (Camacho & Barrios,
2022). Middle-aged workers speculated that this link might be influenced by a blend of career and life demands associated with having young kids at home and job distress. Middle-aged workers are more likely to report experiencing stress related to computerized information (Van et al., 2022). Inability to feel motivated to try healthily using technology due to personal issues older adults have and the problem dealing with complexity at work results in stress and negatively affect their mental health and well-being.
Working long hours and having flexible schedules are additional factors that may
have contributed to technological stress, known as techno-overload and techno-invasion.
Many people sacrifice their free time due to the stress and workload they experience
(Bellmann & Hübler, 2021). Older workers are negatively impacted not only by too much
work or working long hours but also by the new requirements for using technology, known as
techno-uncertainty, which adds complexity to using technology, known as techno-complexity
(Van et al., 2022).
Because of the complexity and technological overload, technology has a negative
impact on many university professors. Many older adults are experiencing problems and
negative emotions in their professions, such as professors who feel Techo-insecure because they fear losing their jobs due to the overload and confusion of technology (Li & Wang,
2021). Nevertheless, many older adults who were most at risk for Covid-19 were explicitly
advised to isolate themselves, which led to their dependence on technology for everyday use
at the time. They had to adapt technology to their needs for various uses, including online
meetings, essential appointments, shopping, and other things (Benge et al., 2022).
Technology overload can result from excessive use of technology; it is crucial to use it
efficiently (Van et al., 2022).
The causes and benefits of technological stress for older adults may differ from those
for younger adults (Van et al., 2022). Working from home can have advantages like
flexibility, cost savings from travel, and time flexibility. However, there are also drawbacks
related to technostress and how one's surroundings are at home, which can lead to burnout,
family conflicts, and other physical and cognitive problems like memory loss which can
make individuals less productive when it comes to work (Van et al., 2022).
A variety of steps to assist employees with their health and safety issues related to
technostress can be taken by organizations. Organizations can provide their employees with
training programs that educate them on how to use technology based on the tasks assigned to them, as well as training on how to deal with technology challenges in order to help
employees perform better. This training could take place via remote sessions, live chat, or
in-person sessions, with a limited number of people per session. Companies should also teach employees how to quickly and easily solve technical problems. This will ensure that
employees' adaptation goes smoothly. Organizations must proceed slowly and steadily when
introducing new technology changes at work.
Organizations can also declare necessary paid breaks in every employee's day so that
employees who feel pressured to give up their breaks for work do not do so and instead use the breaks they are given for personal or leisure time. Multiple breaks, at least two per day,
should be provided where employees are required to take breaks.
Organizations can also implement one day per week where employees can play a
game or do a relaxing activity where they feel comfortable and lighten their stress levels,
which could be through teamwork games such as problem-solving or even trivia in between
meetings to help. However, physical activity via remote meetings, such as Zumba or simply
dancing, can aid physical well-being.
Organizations can also hold individual or group meetings where employees discuss
the challenges they face with technology and how the problems can be solved to help relieve
stress, or implement discussion group chats on various topics related to technology or
technostress, so that any employee who feels the need to chat can chat with other employees to get help, for example, through Discord. In addition to implementing a mental health discussion group chat for employees, which can help many people feel calmer and safer if stressed out, and sessions where mental health calming techniques are taught.
Furthermore, having mental health discussions in every meeting for at least 10-15
minutes is critical because it can serve as a reminder for those employees who remain silent
about their mental health and can genuinely feel that the company they work for cares about
their mental health. The organization must support their employees' safety and health by
actively listening to their concerns or what they have to say and monitoring any issues they
may have by assigning a mentor to assist them. Employees will express their concerns once
employers demonstrate a relationship that assures them they are cared for.
Moreover, organizations can require employees to write and submit a weekly report
on how they feel about working from home and using technology. Supervisors or managers
can read them to determine what feedback they can use to improve their information
technology or management systems.
Individuals' mental and physical well-being and social relationships revolving around
technostress can be quickly resolved if the organizations they work for provide full support,
making employees happy and satisfied with their work, thus resulting in productivity and
making the company they are working for happy as well.
References
Bellmann, & Hübler, O. (2021). Working from home, job satisfaction and work–life balance – robust or heterogeneous links? International Journal of Manpower, 42(3), 424–441.
https://doi.org/10.1108/IJM-10-2019-0458.
Camacho, & Barrios, A. (2022). Teleworking and technostress: early consequences of a COVID-19 lockdown. Cognition, Technology & Work, 24(3), 441–457.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10111-022-00693-4.
Van Fossen, Baker, N. M., Mack, E. A., Chang, C.-H., Cotten, S. R., & Catalano, I. (2022).
The Moderating Effect of Scheduling Autonomy on Smartphone Use and Stress Among Older Workers. Work, Aging and Retirement. https://doi.org/10.1093/workar/waac017.
Benge, Aguirre, A., Scullin, M. K., Kiselica, A. M., Hilsabeck, R. C., Paydarfar, D., &
Douglas, M. (2022). Internet-Enabled Behaviors in Older Adults During the
Pandemic: Patterns of Use, Psychosocial Impacts, and Plans for Continued
Utilization. Work, Aging and Retirement. https://doi.org/10.1093/workar/waac026.
Li, & Wang, X. (2021). Technostress inhibitors and creators and their impacts on university teachers’ work performance in higher education. Cognition, Technology &
Work, 23(2), 315–330. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10111-020-00625-0.