New technology and the digitalisation of the workplace can bring many benefits to staff but there are also risks which can have a serious impact on wellbeing. Becky Spencer reports.

Are you suffering from FoMO at work? A Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) is a real issue in the digital workplace, according to recent research from the University of Nottingham.

Defined as “anxiety about missing out on both important information and updates, as well as opportunities for relationships and interactions”, FoMO, along with information overload, was found to be a key risk factor for poor employee mental health and may increase burnout in some employees.

Although the study was small – just 140 employees – its findings raise an important point: How do employers maximise the benefits of the digitalisation of the workplace without compromising the safety and health of their workforce?

This is the question this year’s European Week for Safety and Health at Work (21-25 October) is endeavouring to answer. Part of EU-OSHA’s ‘Safe and Healthy Work in the Digital Age’ campaign, the week aims to focus employers’ and employees’ attention on the practical steps that can be taken to ensure that as technology and digitalisation move forward, occupational safety and health doesn’t move backwards.

The campaign is focusing on five priority topics:

• Digital platform work – paid work which is provided through, on, or mediated by an online platform.

• Automation of tasks – use of systems or technical procedures with some degree of autonomy to perform physical or cognitive tasks that were previously, or could potentially be, carried out by a human.

• Worker management through AI  – digital management systems and tools that collect real-time data about workers, workers’ behaviours and the workspace

• Smart digital systems – intelligent applications or digital systems using AI, portable equipment and/or high-speed wireless networks in combination with sensor technologies in order to enhance workers’ safety and health.

• Remote and hybrid work – any type of working arrangement involving the use of digital technologies (e.g. personal computers, smartphones, laptops, etc.) to enable work away from the employer’s premises.

What are the risks?

Each of the different areas of digitalisation listed above come with specific OSH benefits and risks but, in general, the OSH risks and challenges as a result of the digitalisation of the workplace are:

• Isolation and lone working

• Intensification of work

• Long and/or irregular working hours

• Algorithmic management

• Digital monitoring and surveillance

• A blurring line between work and private life

• Over-reliance on technology which may lead to more accidents

• Possible loss of specific skills of workers

• The use of inadequate equipment (both ergonomic and digital equipment)

• The challenge of carrying out risk assessments outside the employers’ premises

• Reduced job control and increased micromanagement

• Increased workload and pace of work.

Looking at this list, one thing is clear, without good management and clear policies in place, digitalisation of the workplace has the potential to have significant impacts on workers’ mental health and wellbeing.

Employee health and wellbeing

Digital technologies like e-mail, instant messaging, intranet, online meeting apps and office software have changed how, where and when we work as well as opening up the world of work to new types of jobs. But the downsides are, they allow work to be ever present in our lives, blurring the boundaries between work and home.

In addition, as the Nottingham study found, many employees struggle with the amount of information coming at them, the lack of connection to colleagues, and the stress of dealing with unfamiliar technologies.

Staff can feel the pressure to be always ‘on call’, answering and writing emails, for example, long after their contracted working time has passed. The new government says that it plans to address this issue by introducing a ‘right to switch off’, which it says will prevent employees from being contacted out of hours except in exceptional circumstances. The government plans to take forward the ‘right to switch off’ through a statutory Code of Practice and will be consulting on its introduction in the next year.

Staff monitoring is another issue which can affect employees’ mental health and stress levels. The rise of remote working, alongside developments in monitoring technology, has led to an increase in the number of employers monitoring their staff. This can include tracking calls, messages and keystrokes, taking screenshots, webcam footage or audio recordings, or using specialist monitoring software to track activity.

A survey conducted by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) found 70 per cent of the public would find it intrusive to be monitored by an employer. Monitoring personal devices was considered the most intrusive practice followed by recording audio/video and taking screenshots or webcam footage. Monitoring timekeeping and access was considered the least intrusive.

The ICO has issued guidance for employers which provides clear direction on how monitoring can be conducted lawfully and fairly. As well as outlining legal requirements, it also includes good practice advice to help employers build trust with their workers and respect their rights to privacy. Employers must make their policies clear about when monitoring – covert or not – might take place. Any monitoring must be fully compliant with data protection law.

Managing risks

Digitalisation of the workplace brings many benefits for employers and employees. However, employers must ensure OSH risks created by digitalisation are assessed and effectively managed. EU-OSHA recommends employers consider the following aspects when introducing any type of digitalisation to the workplace:

• Adoption of a human-centred and human-in-command approach, which means that AI and digital technologies should support and not replace human control and decisions. This ensures that such human traits as empathy, compassion, concern for workers are not replaced by computerised decision-making.

• Involvement and consultation of workers and their representatives in the decision-making process linked to the design, implementation and use of digital technologies and systems.

• Transparency about how digital tools operate and their benefits and risks.

• Conducting regular risk assessments.

Overall, the influence of digital technologies on the safety and health of workers should be considered from the very early stages of design or implementation of such technologies.