Marvin OnumonuPoorly set-up workplace tech led to stress, anxiety, sick days and resignations, according to research from Adaptavist.
The report, ‘The human cost of digital transformation’, found 73% of knowledge workers said technology helped their careers, but 26% regularly felt overwhelmed.
Nearly half (44%) said notification overload and managing too many platforms led to stress and anxiety.
The survey also showed that 23% had looked for a new job due to workplace tech, 12% took sick leave, and 5% quit their job over the last year.
Other findings included 19% of workers feeling pressured to be connected outside work hours, 17% feeling under pressure to prove productivity, and 18% saying digital communications from colleagues made them feel incompetent or excluded.
28% worried about tone being misread in digital messages, and 20% said being left to figure out new tools caused stress.
Despite this, 64% said they had input into tech decisions affecting their work, and 80% were confident using the required platforms.
The report pointed to the volume of digital tasks, not lack of skill, as the main issue.
Additionally, the research found staff thinking of leaving due to stress were more than twice as likely as average to report stress (29% vs 11%), anxiety (32% vs 9%), sleep loss (19% vs 7%), or a physical stress reaction (14% vs 7%) caused by workplace tech.
These workers were also less likely to say technology made them more productive (21% vs 34%), improved their confidence (11% vs 28%) or helped their career (14% vs 25%).
Those who felt energised and motivated at work had a much more positive view.
93% of this group said they and their colleagues used tech well in teamwork, and 60% said tech had significantly helped their career.
When asked what would help, 48% wanted a workplace culture where people could comfortably ask for help with tech.
Only 18% called for fewer tools, while 43% wanted more training or support.
The report also connected job satisfaction to task discretion, with 40% of happy workers saying they had control over their tasks, even with tech monitoring or organising work.
Neal Riley, innovation lead at the Adaptavist Group, said: “There is a pressing need to address ‘technostress’ head-on.
“Technology rollouts fail not because of bad technology, but because of bad change management.
“The companies that succeed in preventing burnout and disengagement will focus on more than selecting the right tools; they will focus on the human elements, from preserving worker autonomy to creating supportive cultures around technology adoption.”
Riley added: “Cultivating a workforce that understands its purpose, sees its impact, and feels supported rather than overwhelmed by technology isn’t just important to the individual; it’s also essential to protecting business bottom lines.”
