Working online means employees often enjoy greater flexibility, while employers attract talent that might otherwise be out of reach. For some people, however, working remotely in front of a computer all day is associated with being more susceptible to stress and burnout.
According to a study, the idea of FOMO – “fear of missing out” – promotes stress and burnout, accentuated by a digital workspace.
This study, carried out by researchers at the University of Nottingham in the UK and published in the Sage Open journal, reveals that a digital workplace pushes some people to stay constantly connected so as not to miss any information, increasing stress and mental fatigue.
Researchers collected data from 142 UK-based employees to examine the negative effects of digital work and technology use, such as stress, overload, anxiety and FOMO. The latter refers to the anxiety of missing out on information, and/or opportunities for relationships and interactions, and has made its way into the world of work.
“The glut of information flowing through channels such as email, intranets or collaboration tools can lead workers to worry about missing out, as well as succumbing to overload as they strive to keep up,” study co-author Elizabeth Marsh said.
“To help people cope with information overwhelm, serious and sustained attention should be given to both optimising information management and supporting information literacy.”
The study also highlights the importance of taking stock of these negative effects on employee wellbeing, and suggests that employers invest in practices that optimise the quantity and flow of information.
It further recommends considering policies and training that would help digital-workplace users to better access, manage and consume information.
“Consideration of the digital workplace in work and job design is essential not only to employee productivity but also wellbeing in modern organisations,” co-author Alexa Spence added. “Where this is lacking, elevated stress and burnout as well as poorer mental health may result.
“Our findings indicate the information ecosystem as an important area for attention, both inside organisations and among the research community.”