'Technostress' | The impact of work tech on our mental wellbeing

In this thought leadership article, Dr. Stephanie Moynihan, Associate Medical Director at Dialogue Health Technologies, discusses the increased employee demand for mental health support as the UK workforce is becoming increasingly addicted to their devices and screens...

As the working world is becoming ever more demanding in the UK, HR Directors are seeing a heightened concern and knock-on effect of employees being ‘always on’ through their digital devices. As ‘Technostress’ becomes more common due to the increasing use of, and reliance on, technology, employees are looking for enhanced support in their workplaces and there is a growing concern about the negative effects of technostress on UK employees.

Global prevalence of common mental health concerns rose by 25% during COVID-19 and has not reduced as pandemic measures eased. With an increasing number of us being equipped with mobile phones, tablets and laptops, employees are connected at all hours of the day, including weekends and holidays. In fact, almost half of UK employees (47%) cite technology issues or complications at work as having a negative impact on their mental health.

Ultimately, this leads to stress or burnout, affecting employees' mental wellbeing as many employees work additional hours beyond the normal “9-5” due to working “on the go” through these digital devices and not being able to switch off. This constant connectivity causes stress and burnout, leading to mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.