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In an era dominated by digital technology, a new study from the University of Nottingham sheds light on the crucial role of mindfulness in safeguarding employees’ mental health in the digital workplace. Published today in PLOS ONE, the study underscores the importance of digital mindfulness in mitigating stress, anxiety, and overload experienced by workers immersed in the digital realm.
Led by PhD student Elizabeth Marsh from the School of Psychology, the research analyzed survey data from 142 employees to investigate the impact of digital technology on their well-being. The findings revealed that individuals who exhibited higher levels of mindfulness and digital confidence were better equipped to navigate the challenges posed by the digital workplace.
“As work is increasingly mediated by digital technology, we wanted to find out the impact this is having on people’s health and whether there are ways to mitigate this,” stated Marsh. “We found that being mindfully and confidently digital should be considered important elements of living a healthy digital working life in the 21st century.”
Participants were surveyed about their experiences of stress, overload, anxiety, fear of missing out, and addiction in the digital workplace, collectively termed as the “dark side effects.” The study showed that workers with greater digital confidence were less susceptible to digital workplace anxiety, while those with higher levels of mindfulness exhibited resilience against all adverse effects.
Dr. Alexa Spence, Associate Professor of Psychology, emphasized the role of digital workplace technologies in contributing to employee stress. “Digital workplace technologies like e-mail, instant messaging, and mobile devices have been shown to contribute to perceptions of stress by employees,” Dr. Spence noted. “Employees may experience stress when having to adapt to a constantly evolving digital workplace, which can lead to burnout and poorer health.”
Mindfulness, characterized by intentional and non-judgmental attention to the present moment, emerged as a protective factor against the negative impacts of the digital workplace. Professor Elvira Perez Vallejos, an expert in Digital Technology for Mental Health, emphasized the need for organizations to prioritize digital mindfulness alongside other workplace risks.
“The research shows that organizations need to consider how to manage digital workplace hazards alongside other psychosocial and physical risks in the workplace,” Professor Vallejos remarked. “Helping employees foster mindful awareness when working digitally could really help overall well-being.”
Funded by the ESRC-MGS (Economic and Social Research Council — Midland Graduate School), this study underscores the importance of integrating digital mindfulness practices into workplace well-being initiatives to promote a healthier and more resilient workforce in the digital age.
