In daily practice, we see it with many of our clients: employees struggle with the large amount of internal channels on which information is shared. It raises questions about the effectiveness of the internal communication mix. To go beyond the assumptions, we recently conducted an academic study together with Vrije Universiteit on the impact of digital technology on the work-life balance.
We have specifically chosen to carry out this research within secondary education. This is an industry par excellence where we see a proliferation of different channels. Teachers communicate not only with direct colleagues, but also with the administration, students and parents. From digital student tracking systems to communication platforms and online teaching methods, technology has profoundly changed the work. If the impact of fragmented communication is measurable anywhere, it’s here.
Not the stress, but the factors
The research focuses on the term ‘technostress’, but it is too short to point to technology as the only culprit. More interesting is how that stress arises from specific factors. The interviews with teachers show that virtually everyone experiences at least one form of technostress, but the causes differ.
When the same message is shared ‘just in case’ in different places, it actually leads to more uncertainty and the fear of missing information.
An important factor is Techno-overload. Teachers indicate that the use of, and switching between, multiple platforms (such as Teams, Magister and E-mail) leads to chaos and confusion. When the same message is shared in three different places ‘just in case’, paradoxically, this leads to more uncertainty and the fear of missing information.
In addition , Techno-invasion plays a major role: the feeling that work technology is invading the private sphere. The constant stream of notifications, sometimes even deep into the night by supervisors or apprentices, blurs the line between work and private life.
This is reinforced by Techno-complexity: the frustration with systems that are constantly changing or working illogically, which creates feelings of incompetence.
The decisive role of organizational culture
The research shows that individual resilience is not enough; the organizational culture is decisive. In schools where an ‘unhealthy’ work culture prevails, teachers feel an implicit obligation to always be available. This results in a feeling of being ‘on 24/7’, with executives sometimes even sending urgent emails at night or calling in their spare time. In such an environment, it turns out that it is almost impossible for the individual to guard boundaries, because the norm dictates that you react instantly.
In contrast, there are schools that prove that things can be done differently. Here are not only protocols, but above all the principle ‘lead by example’applies. Executives actively protect their team by, for example, sending emails on a scheduled basis (so that they only arrive during working hours) and by avoiding private contact via WhatsApp. The research shows that teachers in this culture, where the organization provides structural support in delineating work and private life, experience significantly less stress and techno-invasion.
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Experience as a buffer
In addition to culture, experience also plays a role. Teachers with more than 12 years of experience are often better able to put things into perspective and set boundaries. Less experienced teachers, on the other hand, feel more obliged to always be available and have more difficulty saying ‘no’ to the flow of notifications. This highlights the importance of guidance for starters, especially in the field of digital well-being.
Expanding channels and pouring out content blindly does not guarantee greater reach. On the contrary, it creates chaos.
Broader perspective
Although this research focuses on education, we see a broader pattern. In the meantime, convincing evidence has been found in various studies that an excess of information and stimuli leads to cognitive overload. Despite the fact that this research focuses on education, we dare, given our experience in other industries, to say that these results are more widely applicable. The conclusion is clear: expanding channels and pouring out content blindly does not guarantee greater reach. On the contrary, it creates chaos. In addition, the expectation that employees can effectively curate this flow of information themselves is often unjustified in practice. The solution lies in directing: create sharp choices about which message to post for whom where, and consciously choose the right time.
Questions or need advice?
Do you have questions about this research or do you want to discuss how to create a channel strategy? Contact Peter Haan via peter@evolve.eu or +31 6 13 98 14 27. Or fill in the contact form:
