A third of south west employees say workplace technology increases job stress.
According to research from Willis Towers Watson, 33% of employees are struggling with a range of IT-related issues, from computer software to mobile tech.
A lack of tech reliability was cited as the main reason for this by 56% of survey respondents, followed by a heightening of workload (46%).
Other shadow sides of technology highlighted by south west workers included a lack of human interaction (28%), a triggering of tighter deadlines (24%) and excessive levels of complexity (22%).
“Technology can be a considerable force for good with the potential to act as a catalyst for smarter, more efficient and more flexible working,” said Mike Blake, wellbeing lead at Willis Towers Watson.
“Despite offering a wealth of opportunities to improve our working lives, however – simplifying and, in some cases, eradicating many mundane or laborious tasks – these findings highlight that, in some cases, it can be both a blessing and a curse.”
Almost a third (31%) of workers have tackled the tech stress burden by consulting colleagues who have the requisite know-how, while 22% have asked for support or training from management.
Twenty-two per cent, however, said they coped by working longer hours and the same percentage have avoided or delayed tech-based tasks.
Just one in ten (11%) of south west workers said technology decreased their workplace stress, with more than half (58%) of these respondents saying it enables them to work more efficiently, as well as information being more accessible (58%).
