Navigating the Dark Side of Digital Work

Research from the University of Nottingham reveals that fear of missing out (FoMO) and information overload are major contributors to employee stress and burnout, highlighting the "dark side" of digital working, published today in SAGE Open ().

Elizabeth Marsh, PhD student from the School of Psychology led the quantitative study and said: “The digital workplace is now recognized as a key strategic asset in organizations that enables worker productivity and flexibility in the context of hybrid working. However, the potential downsides in terms of worker well-being also need to be considered, especially given the proliferation of digital communication channels and tools since Covid.”

FOMO Affects People of All Ages
Social media addicted teens are not the only people who experience the Fear of Missing Out, also called FoMO. It is apparently is caused by aspects of self-perception, like loneliness, and low self-esteem.

‘ Did You Know?
Over 70% of millennials report feeling FoMO regularly, contributing to decreased life satisfaction. #fomo #burnout #mentalhealth ’

This new study connects to previous work which revealed that employees who are more mindful in the digital workplace are better protected against stress, anxiety, and overload.

In this research, FoMO is defined as anxiety about missing out on both important information and updates, as well as opportunities for relationships and interactions.

FoMO has long been a term used about social media, and now this new research shows it is an effect that is being felt in the workplace.

FOMO: Nearly Half of the Teens are Stressed by Social Media
An Australian survey said nearly half of Australian teens feel their peers are having more rewarding experiences than they are, chiefly fueled by social media.

FoMO and the Rising Tide of Employee Burnout

The participants in the study were surveyed about their experiences of the dark side effects of the digital workplace which were identified as; stress, overload, anxiety, and fear of missing out, and how these affected their well-being.

The results showed that among the dark side effects, those relating to information – both feeling overloaded by it and fearing missing out on it - proved particularly detrimental to well-being both directly and by elevating overall stress related to digital working.

Do You Suffer from FoMo?
Are you compulsively updating your status message and uploading pictures on various social networking sites?

Elizabeth adds: “The glut of information flowing through channels such as email, intranets, or collaboration tools can lead workers to worry about missing out on it as well as succumbing to overload as they strive to keep up. To help people cope with information overwhelm, serious and sustained attention should be given to both optimizing information management and supporting information literacy.”

The research makes some practical suggestions for employers which include investing in practices to optimize the amount and flow of information to employees.

The findings could also be used by HR departments to consider policy and training options that would support the end-users of the digital workplace to better access, manage, and consume information in a way that is conducive to well-being as well as productivity.

Dr Alexa Spence, Professor of Psychology adds: “Consideration of the digital workplace in work and job design is essential to not only employee productivity but also well-being in modern organisations. 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 organizations and among the research community.”

Reference:

Overloaded by Information or Worried About Missing Out on It: A Quantitative Study of Stress, Burnout, and Mental Health Implications in the Digital Workplace - (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/21582440241268830)

Source-Eurekalert