Digital workplace blues: How information overload and FOMO are stressing you out

The post-pandemic workplace has undergone an unprecedented digital transformation, with online and hybrid jobs experiencing a surge. Even on-site roles are increasingly intertwined with digital technology as it’s reshaping organisation and the entire working dynamics. While digital technology offers benefits like convenience and flexibility, there are significant downfalls that lead to stress, burnout, workplace exhaustion, and even tech phobia. No wonder, you visibly wince when you see your work laptop on your off days. A new research study from the University of Nottingham’s Schools of Psychology and Medicine unveiled the two interconnected factors responsible for workplace exhaustion. The researchers called them the ‘dark sides effects of the digital workplace.’
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You’re constantly connected to your workplace through the various digital tools, so you never truly leave the workplace, at least not virtually. The overwhelming use of these tools can lead to frequent interruptions, blurring the lines between personal and work life as messages and emails constantly pour in. This can result in excessive email and messaging usage to keep responding and checking notifications, contributing to burnout and stress. It has the potential to make you more workaholic with easy access to work mails everywhere.
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The constant connectivity of today’s digital world causes the fear of missing out (FOMO). It is a perceived, anticipated apprehension about missing out on rewarding opportunities or experiences. In the workplace, this manifests as a relentless urge to stay updated, leading to frequent checking of notifications and information streams to avoid missing important updates. This constant alertness and vigilance cause workplace stress and burnout.
FOMO is inherently connected to information overload in a vicious loop, where the innate fear of missing something causes you to check your digital tech frequently, which inevitably triggers stress from constantly consuming work-related information. When you try to switch off for a moment to concentrate, either at work to finish an assignment or at home, you experience intense FOMO, feeling as if not staying updated will cause you to miss a major event update, which you believe might be seen as negligence and reflect poorly on your work performance. So, it’s all connected in a cycle. The study found that out of all the drawbacks of a digital workplace, FOMO is the greatest risk factor for the poor mental health of employees working digitally.
The researchers recommend that employers devise strategies to optimize the amount and flow of information provided to employees. They also suggested that the HR departments consider implementing various policies and training programs to assist employees in using digital tools more effectively and healthily. These initiatives should help employees access, manage, and consume information in a way that promotes both their well-being and productivity.
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