The Impact of Virtual Work on Employee Health
Posted on December 10, 2023 by Amy Stevens, One of Thousands of Executive Coaches on Noomii.
Virtual work can be both a cause and reliever of workplace stress! As a leader, being aware of these impacts on health and performance is vital.
In today’s world, many organizations and individuals are operating virtually.
Currently the research in this area or organizational development and management seems to agree that there are both positive and negative outcomes of virtual work and associated communication technologies. This is described in research as a “paradox”, whereby positive aspects such as freedom, efficiency, and accessibility exist, but negative aspects such as unpredictability, interruptions, loss of control, overload, and stress are increased for the virtual worker.
Some unique variables that impact the virtual worker and the workplace are as follows:
• Urgency and preoccupation (or compulsion) to respond at all times and hours.
• Inability to psychologically detach from work.
• Decreased work-life balance.
• Increased exhaustion and negative emotional states.
• Lowered job performance.
• Decreased work engagement.
• Poor sleep quality.
• Burnout
• Increased turnover intentions by employees.
• Stress and strain that impacts other areas of life.
Are any of these currently problems for you personally? For your teams or employees?
Some potential mitigating factors currently under study are identified as “technostress inhibitors”, and include support resources for health and for technology, training (mindfulness, stress reduction programs, exercise programs), decreased speed and load of work, protection of time off, and organizational communication of healthy work patterns.
In addition, creating a supportive company culture that provides outlets for virtual socializing, sharing, and informal meetings has numerous benefits, and recent research has highlighted one-on-one coaching/connection with teams by management and leadership as a critical activity.
By implementing a process of evaluation for your own, and employee’s health, you can identify which of these factors are most important in your organization and can work on change initiatives to offset the stressors.
