Overloaded by Information or Worried About Missing Out on It: A Quantitative Study of Stress, Burnout, and Mental Health Implications in the Digital Workplace

Abstract

With growing numbers of workers relying on the digital workplace to get work done, attention is increasingly focused on the well-being impacts of digital working. This study explored the stress, burnout and mental health implications of employees’ digital workplace experience. Using the Job Demands-Resources model as a theoretical foundation, 142 workers were surveyed about their experiences of dark side of digital working effects (stress, overload, anxiety, and Fear of Missing Out) and well-being (exhaustion and mental health). Results from regression analyses indicated that the fear of missing out on information (IFoMO) is a risk factor for employee mental health and, along with information overload (IO), may lead to greater exhaustion. Additionally, both IFoMO and IO elevate digital workplace stress, further impacting well-being negatively. The results suggest that organizations need to optimize the flow of work-related information in the digital workplace and support employees to leverage information effectively.