Technostress operationalised as information and communication technology (ICT) demands among managers and other occupational groups – Results from the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (SLOSH)

Mobile technology features and technostress in mandatory online teaching during the COVID-19 crisis

Technostress is defined as any unhealthy condition caused by dealing with modern technology in various harmful ways; examples of technostress include addiction and stress. Even though technostress has been extensively studied in the literature, little attention has been paid to investigating technostress among academics who work in exceptional circumstances, such as crises, and who might be experiencing different psychological states due to those circumstances. To fill the gap, this study aims to explore the factors influencing technostress among school teachers. The study examined technostress's level and factor graphics structure among 692 academics from different Arab countries during COVID-19. The technostress factors and their stories were explored and measured using sequential mixed methods and confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis. The study discusses various factors' direct and indirect effects on mobile technology integration in education and the theoretical and practical implications of managing technostress in online classes. A model of techno-stressors among Arab academics was found to include: schedule overload, complexity, uncertainty, uselessness, invasion, and compulsion. The direct effect of various factors on mobile technology integration in education is mainly positive, while indirect effects are more varied. The theoretical and practical implications of managing technostress in online classes include: considering the psychological and physiological impact of technostress on students' learning performance, decreasing overall satisfaction with the learning experience, and improving the overall quality of online courses. As a result of this study's findings, a new perspective is provided on how academics in particular circumstances (in this study, the occupation of Palestine) may behave and feel toward technology in teaching.

How remote leaning during crisis affect technostress levels experienced by academicians

Despite the extensive coverage in the literature, limited attention has been paid to the investigation of technostress among academicians who work under special circumstances, such as occupation, and might have different psychological states due to those conditions. To fill this gap, this study examined the level and factorial structure of technostress among 573 Palestinian academicians who worked in a more-than-seventy-years occupied country, and with the addition of the COVID-19 pandemic. A sequential mixed method approach with confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis was used to explore the technostress factors and to measure their level among the academicians. The obtained findings indicated that the four factors of (1) schedule overload, (2) complexity, (3) uncertainty and uselessness, and (4) invasion and compulsion formed the model of techno-stressors among Palestinian academicians. This can help various stakeholders (researchers, policy makers, practitioners, etc.) to design the needed interventions accordingly and reduce the technostress among academicians; hence, enhancing the latter's teaching practices and experiences.

A workplace mindfulness training program may affect mindfulness, well-being, health literacy and work performance of upper-level ICT-managers: An exploratory study in times of the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction

Mindfulness-based interventions have gained more importance in workplace health promotion due to increased psychological distress in the digital era. Although managers in the information communication technology sector (ICT)-sector are at risk for lower mental health, few studies have evaluated the effects of workplace mindfulness trainings (WMT) on upper-level ICT-managers.

Methods

By applying a mixed methods approach, the study aimed at exploring differences in upper-level ICT-managers' mindfulness, well-being, health literacy and work performance at the beginning of a WMT (t0), immediately after (t1) and 3  months after (t2) a WMT. Thirteen groups of managers (n = 56) completed the training and three corresponding surveys consecutively from October 2019 to April 2021. Managers rated their mindfulness (MAAS), well-being (WHO-5), health literacy, and work performance (HPQ). During the COVID-19-pandemic the training switched from a live on-site mode to a hybrid mode and finally to a digital mode. Repeated measures ANOVAs and Bonferroni-adjusted post hoc analyses were used for data analysis. Open-ended responses were content analyzed.

Results

We found significant differences in managers' mindfulness [F(2.106) = 3.376, p = 0.038, η_p ² = 0.06, n = 54], well-being [F(2.106) = 73.019, p < 0.001, η_p ² = 0.17, n = 54], health literacy [F(2.108) = 9.067, p < 0.001, η_p ² = 0.15, n = 55], and work performance [F(2.80) = 7.008, p = 0.002, η_p ² = 0.15, n = 41] between t0 and t2. Significant differences between t0 and t1 were also found for well-being, health literacy and work performance, but not for mindfulness. Qualitative findings demonstrated positive training effects, barriers and facilitators to daily application of mindfulness practice.

Discussion

The results suggest that compared to the beginning of the WMT, the post and follow-up measurements showed outcome improvements. The workplace mindfulness training may thus be a promising program to facilitate mental health and working capabilities among upper-level ICT-managers. Contextual workplace factors need to be considered to sustain long-term mindfulness practice of managers.

Factors Influencing Teacher’s Technostress Experienced in Using Emerging Technology: A Qualitative Study

In this era of rapid technology growth, many countries have begun to adopt emerging technologies into their educational systems to improve learning outcomes. The aim of this study is to explore the factors influencing teachers’ experiences of technostress while using new technology in academic classrooms and how it might be mitigated. Prior research has not focused on how technostress develops among individuals over time or how it can be mitigated in an individual context; the intention of this study is to contribute to the technostress literature in these particular areas. To address the research gap, we conducted a qualitative study that collected data through the use of an open-ended question questionnaire. Seventy teachers of different backgrounds and locations responded to the survey. We used thematic analysis to analyze their responses and reveal how lack of school support and their professional identities influence their levels of technostress. Technology characteristics, including the complexity and the benefits of a given technology, and privacy concerns play a crucial role in teachers’ experiences of technostress. Moreover, we found that colleague support in using new technology and open educational resources each contributed to mitigating teachers’ technostress levels. Our study extends technostress research to examine a new learning environment and context. This focus allowed us to highlight the need to develop open educational resources and better social support structures for teachers and to rethink the professional identities of developing teachers to mitigate their levels of technostress. Suggestions for further research that resulted from this work include using a mixed methods research approach in future studies and including more teachers in future work to determine the relationships among the factors identified by this study.

Can I Get Back Later or Turn It Off? Day-Level Effect of Remote Communication Autonomy on Sustainable Proactivity

Overwhelming remote communication episodes have become critical daily work demands for employees. On the basis of affective event theory, this study explores the effect of daily remote communication autonomy on positive affect and proactive work behaviors. We conducted a multilevel path analysis using a general survey, followed by experience sampling methodology, with a sample of 80 employees in China who completed surveys thrice daily over a two-week period. The results showed that daily remote communication autonomy increased positive affective reactions, which, in turn, enhanced proactive work behaviors on the same workday. Furthermore, positive day-level relationships leading to employee proactivity were only significant when the employees’ person-level general techno-workload was not high. The findings provide a new perspective for managing employees working under continuous techno-workload and demands for remote interactions.

Investigating e-Retailers’ Intentions to Adopt Cryptocurrency Considering the Mediation of Technostress and Technology Involvement

Cryptocurrencies have transgressed ever-changing economic trends in the global economy, owing to their conveyance, security, trust, and the ability to make transactions without the aid of formal institutions and governing bodies. However, the adoption of cryptocurrency remains low among stakeholders, including e-retailers. Thus, the current work explores the intentions of e-retailers in the Asia and Pacific region to adopt cryptocurrencies. This study considers the TAM-based SOR, with a combination of non-cognitive attributes (compatibility and convenience) proposed as stimuli for e-retailers to adopt the examined cryptocurrencies. The findings indicate that the proposed non-cognitive attributes are critical in determining e-retailers’ technostress (emotional state). Moreover, it was found that technostress among e-retailers profoundly impacts their intentions to adopt cryptocurrency in business settings. Meanwhile, regulatory support communication can be used to help regulatory bodies and governing institutions control the future economy worldwide. The proposed study offers significant theoretical and practical contributions through its investigation of e-retailers’ intentions to adopt cryptocurrency for the first time in the particular context of technostress and regulatory support.

Work and everyday life in a digitalized time: Experiences of people with subjective cognitive difficulties related to neurological disorders

INTRODUCTION

Digitalization has changed working life and increased cognitive demands on employees in general. Nevertheless, the consequences for employees with cognitive impairments and subjective cognitive difficulties are to a large extent unexplored. The aim of this study was to explore and describe how employees with subjective cognitive difficulties who are performing digital work tasks experience their vocational situation and how this situation influences their everyday life.

METHODS

A qualitative, descriptive, multiple-case study was designed. Self-reports, assessments and qualitative interviews were used to collect data from the seven participants with neurological disorders. The data were analysed using pattern matching.

FINDINGS

The analysed data formed four categories conceptualized as "Working to my full potential", "Working, but it is largely up to me", "Working at the expense of everyday life" and "Working without known difficulties", and these categories included one to four subcategories.

CONCLUSION

Managing subjective cognitive difficulties in vocational situations and everyday life was challenging in a digitalized working life for participants with neurological disorders. To provide equal access to preventive measures and rehabilitation and a sustainable working life, it is important to investigate the influence of subjective cognitive difficulties systematically on work, everyday life and management strategies in people with neurological disorders in digitalized work.

How Managers Perceive and (Do Not) Participate in Health Promotion Measures-Results from a Cross-Sectional Mixed-Methods Survey in a Large ICT Company

Managers often face stress and high work demands. Yet they have received limited attention as targets of workplace health promotion measures (HPMs). This study’s primary objective (1) is to examine managers’ self-reported participation in HPMs and factors associated with HPM participation. The secondary objective (2) is to examine managers’ perceptions of their working conditions. A cross-sectional mixed-methods online survey was conducted with a nonrandom sample of 179 managers in a large German ICT company. Stepwise logistic regression and qualitative content analysis were used for data analysis. Quantitative findings revealed that 57.9% of managers had not participated in HPMs yet. “Workload relief through digital tools” resulted as a significant predictor of managers’ previous HPM participation (OR: 2.84, 95% CI: 1.42–5.66). In qualitative findings, workload, time, lack of knowledge, and lack of demand were reported as participation barriers (1). Managers reported that work facility traits, workload, social support, and corporate culture should be improved to make their working conditions more health-promoting (2). These findings suggest that providing adequate organizational working conditions may help improve managers’ HPM participation rates and their perception of health-promoting work.

Healthcare managers' experiences of technostress and the actions they take to handle it - a critical incident analysis

Background

Healthcare managers, in comparison with other healthcare professionals, have an increased likelihood of experiencing technostress at work. Since knowledge about the causes and severity of technostress and about the strategies healthcare managers use to handle it is limited, the aim of this study was to describe their experience of technostress and the actions they employ to address it.

Methods

An explorative design based on the critical incident technique was used. In total, 20 healthcare managers (10 women, 10 men) from four hospitals in two county councils in Sweden were purposively selected according to professional background, hierarchical management position, control span, time in the management position, and sex. Semi-structured interviews with regard to critical incidents and actions taken to handle technostress were conducted.

Results

Healthcare managers’ experiences of technostress (n = 279) were categorised related to three main areas. These involved ‘negative aspects of digital communication’ (e.g. high workload, invasion of private life, and negative feelings related to digital communication), ‘poor user experience of ICT systems (such as illogicality of the ICT system, time-consuming ICT system, or malfunctioning ICT system) and ‘needs to improve organisational resources’ (e.g. needs associated with digital literacy, user influence and distribution of work and ICT systems). Actions taken to handle technostress (n=196) were described relating to three main areas involving ‘culture, norms and social support’ (such as good email culture, and co-worker support), ‘individual resources’ (e.g. individual strategies and competence) and ‘organisational resources’ (such as IT-related assistance and support).

Conclusions

Healthcare managers described negative aspects of digital communication, poor user experience of ICT systems, and lack of organisational resources as potential technostress creators. These problems were handled by taking action related to culture, norms and social support, and individual as well as organisational resources. All these features, along with consideration of healthcare managers’ job demands and resources in general, should be incorporated into actions monitored by healthcare organisations to improve or maintain a sustainable digitalised environment for healthcare managers.

Trial registration

Regional Ethics Board in Linköping #2017/597–31. Registered 20 March 2018. URL not available.