The 8 consequences of techno-stress in companies

Today it is increasingly common for companies to incorporate all kinds of new technologies to improve their results and increase the performance of their employees.

These types of tools have greatly facilitated the lives of workers, but in some cases, if they are not managed properly, handling constant use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) can have a negative effect on the performance and well-being of the employee, the so-called technostress.

The impact of technostress on the company and on the worker It occurs both psychologically and efficiently when dealing with their responsibilities in the workplace, and there are many ways in which this phenomenon It affects the entire company or organization, both from the influence on each of the employees, and from the appearance of problems of a group nature or collective.

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What are the main consequences of technostress for companies?

This is a brief summary of the consequences that technostress can have on companies, if we We focus on the way in which this problem is reflected in the way of functioning of the organizations.

1. concentration deficits

One of the most obvious problems derived from the inadequate management of new technologies in companies is increased concentration difficulties in many workers.

This phenomenon can occur for various reasons, since each worker has their own personal experiences, but in general it has to do with the fact of receiving a constant bombardment of information digitally: from notifications from the messaging system of the mobile, to unnecessary emails, including the appearance of advertisements when browsing the Internet for reasons professionals.

In addition to that, concentration deficits also can be associated with frustration and a feeling of worthlessness that the worker can experience when realizing that he is not capable of correctly carrying out his tasks in the face of this kind of disruption.

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2. spread of rumors

In the world of digital media, information flies and can be shared without having to prove its veracity face to face. And in many cases, this means that there are even fewer filters when it comes to sharing information of dubious origin.

The rapid spread of unfounded rumors about things that supposedly affect the organization can also be one of the consequences of techno-stress suffered by some of its employees.

This phenomenon affects both the employees who participate in it and the organization as a whole and can be avoided through collaboration and improved communication between the organization, the HR department and the employees.

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3. Intensification of the digital divide

The techno-stress most commonly experienced by older employees enables the digital generational gap between the workers of a company to become more evident, in turn generating inequality in performance and grounds for frustration or even conflict.

Likewise, this stress derived from the use of new technologies generates various psychological alterations in people who suffer from it, such as low self-esteem and anxiety.

4. Communication deficits

The techno-stress problems that arose among the employees and related to the integration of new technologies in their job work can also be linked to communication problems that affect the productivity of workers and the organization.

The appearance of misunderstandings in the communication of information is very common by reducing face-to-face interactions between employees. Many times, entrusting everything to the exchange of emails and text messages gives rise to an ambiguity that could be avoided, but is often interpreted worst possible way (in the face of ignorance, human beings tend to put ourselves “on guard” and fall into a pessimistic bias about what the other wanted to say person).

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5. Saturation

The appearance of cases of technostress in some companies may also be due to a feeling of saturation on the part of some employees, due to the fact of having many options at all times and the inability to manage them all at once.

This malaise can be resolved in part by training the employee in the correct use of the different technologies and means to perform the tasks that have been entrusted to him, and also learning techniques for managing stress and managing work time and breaks.

6. Problems in technological standardization

Deficits when using technology correctly can also lead to major problems in the organization's technological standardization in the long run.

This happens, for example, when two company departments work with different software, a problem that will decisively affect the proper functioning and performance of the company and may even give rise to the appearance of opposing "sides".

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7. backlog of work

The accumulated work related to the management of digitized information (information on the use of programs or about how to handle other types of information) constitutes another of the consequences of technostress in the business.

And this phenomenon may be due to an inability to manage this type of information on the part of the employee, to a lack of knowledge or training, to a state of saturation or to an excess of fatigue caused by technostress.

8. work absenteeism

Work absenteeism is one of the last and most drastic consequences that the phenomenon of techno-stress can have on employees and constitutes a real problem for the company.

No organization positively values ​​absenteeism among its employees, which is why it is so important implement solutions to resolve cases of techno-stress, avoiding the main risk factors Y applying efficient training, information and communication strategies.

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Mindgram: a resource to improve the well-being of workers

mindgram is a digital platform designed for companies that want to offer psychological coverage to their employees.

Through its complete app, workers can have access to 24/7 consultations with accredited psychotherapists, carry out online therapy sessions by video call, access online courses and workshops, use meditation resources, Mindfulness and relaxation exercises, listen to exclusive podcasts on Psychology, and more. All this, maintaining the highest standards of security and confidentiality when processing the data, through encryption systems.