Striking a Balance: Workplace Technology and Mental Health
It is widely accepted that technology plays a vital role in the business world. Between improving workflows and employee efficiency to staying ahead of the competition and promoting innovation, tech has evolved from a nice-to-have less than two decades ago to a critical component in everyday business.
However, what gets left behind in the conversation surrounding technology and business is its impact on employee mental health.
Generally speaking, the value of technology is measured in dollars and cents — improving productivity, eliminating redundancies, all resulting in hyper fixation on return on investment.
The human cost of technology is often overlooked. But now, with the ongoing shift to remote, distributed, and asynchronous work, academics and mental health professionals around the world are acknowledging this fact and are calling for a digital mental health revolution.
Chief among issues brought about by reliance on technology is burnout and feelings of isolation. The problem is that technology has become so ubiquitous — infiltrating every aspect of our personal and professional lives — that it can be hard to disconnect.
“Some research has indicated that the use of technology in general — and especially the internet — actually can be connected with the development of mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression in some individuals.”
That feeling of always being “on” can have a ripple effect, leading to increased levels of stress and anxiety, and making employees feel isolated, disconnected, and over-worked.
However, while technology can be problematic, it isn’t all doom-and-gloom for the future of work.
When leveraged properly, and used in conjunction with employee wellness programs, technology can break down barriers to healthy communication, reduce feelings of isolation, and promote physical and mental well-being.
Recognizing and Responding to Mental Health Challenges in Remote Employees
The first step in solving a problem is recognizing that there is one.
Great employers and managers have trained themselves to recognize mental illness and distress in their employees, often looking for telltale signs and symptoms such as:
Changes in work habits
Changes in physical appearance
Shifts in demeanor and attitude
Punctuality and availability
Out of character mood swings or temper
Self-isolation or avoiding interaction
Despite the increased focus by managers to look for these signs, recent workplace trends have made things more challenging.
By the very nature of remote and distributed work, employers may have a harder time recognizing mental health struggles in their employees, instead relying on employee self-reporting or changes significant enough to be noticed over occasional video calls.
The problem with relying on these methods is that often, employees will try to hide the issues they are dealing with or choose not to reach out until the problem has grown out of control.
“People still seem not to want to admit that they might be stressed or dealing with mental-health issues.” However, he said, this reluctance can be addressed with a thoughtful approach: “Employees are more likely to use solutions when they are positively framed—for example, as a way to boost well-being and performance.” - Source
Shifting how your organization talks about and deals mental health can have a major impact on employee health program effectiveness.
Along with creating an internal wellness action plan for your organization, consider providing additional resources like external counselling services.
By changing the narrative and providing anonymous, remote, and/or third-party services, an organization can offer meaningful help and value to employees, while promoting privacy — helping ease some of the reluctance felt by employees to reach out.
Tech Tools to Help Improve Mental Health in the Workplace
“Employee burnout is a problem during stable times let alone during stressful times. Lower productivity, emotional and physical exhaustion, lack of concentration, less recognition from managers, negativity and a decline in health are all signs of burnout at work.” -Source
It’s not just employees either. Just a year ago, when the focus was on moving the workplace to a virtual setting, nearly 60% of leaders reported they feel “used up” at the end of the workday.
However, while technology can in fact be a contributing factor to poor mental health, it can also provide avenues for relief.
Digital tools such as mental health apps have the potential to ease some of the stress for employees and leaders alike.
Factors such as convenience, anonymity, cost, and 24-hour service are often cited as major advantages that mobile mental health technology presents.
While apps can be a helpful tool for some people, they may not be enough for everybody. In order to build an effective employee mental health program, business leaders must also recognize that a hands-on approach can still be a viable avenue in helping employees.
Specific courses have been designed to help leaders better understand employee mental health issues, spot the signs of mental health issues, prevent & intervene when necessary, and maintain a culture where employees with mental health issues are supported and are enabled to thrive and have flourishing career.
Regardless of how an organization approaches employee mental health, or what tools are leveraged, consensus among experts is that communication is a key component to ensuring the health of employees.
Staying Connected
Stormboard has talked in the past about how technology can help promote a strong work-life balance. When used correctly, some of those same technologies can also foster an environment that makes the “work” part a little less stressful.
When it comes to building and maintaining a strong employee mental health program, most experts tend to agree that connection and communication is key.
Providing employees tools that enable flexibility, better collaboration, and reduce common mental health issues like video fatigue is a strong first step for any organization dedicated to helping their employees.
Connect with an expert at Stormboard today to learn more about how digital collaboration tools can go far beyond improving efficiency and bring about real change in any organization.
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