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01/23/2020

Daily Buzz: Managing the Effects of “Technostress”

Tech overload is a real problem

With the ubiquity of digital devices, organizations must contend with a new workforce challenge: technostress, which is the negative psychological reaction caused by the exposure to and inability to cope with new technology.

“New technologies are deployed in the digital workplace, and it would be all good—if we were always able to use them properly,” writes David Roe in CMSWire. “Instead, employees experience anxiety and a FOMO disorder (fear of missing out) that in extreme cases can lead to panic attacks, prolonged stress, drop in motivation, and burnout.”

To avoid technostress, organizations must understand the triggers. Too often, organizations provide workers with digital tools that don’t work properly. CMSWire reports that, in a survey of 463 executives by Simpler Media, most participants revealed that they were unhappy with their digital workplace technologies.

“Digital workplace tools are failing users, creating a huge disconnect between their strategic importance and operational use,” Roe said. “Hardly surprising, then, that digital workers are stressed.”

Organizations must also make sure not to saddle workers with more tools than they need. If you’re considering implementing new technology, take time to understand the problem you’re trying to solve and if it can be addressed using tools you already have. You should also think about your workforce demographics.

“The one thing to have in mind when introducing new technologies (apart from their usefulness or cost, obviously) is to understand whether your team is the proper ‘audience’ of such technologies,” Roe said.

Please select this link to read the original article from Associations Now.

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