The Psychological Toll Of Remote Work And Email Overload

Keywords: Mental Health, Workforce Wellbeing, Remote Work, Email Overload

Author: Lisa Munro

Date: 26 October 2023, Worklife Digital

In today's fast-paced work environment, characterised by an increase in remote work and constant email connectivity, the toll on employees' psychological wellbeing is becoming increasingly evident. Heightened stress levels, and a pervasive sense of dissatisfaction are intricately linked to the incessant demands of email communication and the challenges posed by decreased face-to-face interactions.

A noteworthy attempt to counteract the adverse effects of constant connectivity emerged in France in 2017 with the implementation of a labour law aiming to preserve the "right to disconnect." Companies with fifty or more employees were required to negotiate policies limiting email use after work hours, recognising the impact on employee burnout. This underscores a global challenge: email is not just a tool; it's making us miserable.

Studies conducted by the University of California as far back as 2012 also underscore the direct correlation between constant email engagement and heightened stress levels*. They found that the more time one dedicates to email in a given hour, the greater the stress during that period. Even proposed solutions, such as batching emails, do not universally alleviate stress, especially for individuals with higher neuroticism traits.

A 2019 Swedish study examining long-term worker health trends further supports the negative health outcomes linked to constant connectivity demands. The need for employees to be consistently connected is linked to suboptimal health, persisting even after adjusting for various factors such as age, sex, socioeconomic status, health behaviour, body-mass index, job strain, and social support. The issue was highlighted in responses from individuals who described email as slow, frustrating, and a source of anxiety and depression.

Miserable employees translate to poor performance and a higher likelihood of burnout. This is substantiated by a Harvard Business School study** that revealed predictable time off from email increased employees' inclination to stay with a firm for the long term. The impact of email-induced unhappiness extends beyond the individual, affecting organisational productivity and success.

Human Interaction Supports Mental Wellbeing

The need to interact with each other is one of the strongest motivational forces that humans experience. The physiological response to missed connections and reduced social interactions from remote working is exacerbated by the over-reliance on email to communicate with colleagues. This illustrates the conflict between the desire of many workers to work 100% remotely and the efforts of many businesses to encourage their staff back into the office for at least a few days a week.

To alleviate this misery, a shift in professional culture is necessary. Shared project-management systems and structured communication reduce the need for excessive back-and-forth emails, offering a more effective means of collaboration. ‘Innovations’ such as regularly scheduled office hours and assigning email addresses to specific types of requests, rather than individuals, show promise in minimising unstructured communication.

Understanding the psychological toll of remote work and email overload is critical for fostering a healthier work environment. As we grapple with the unintended consequences of constant connectivity, intentional efforts to reshape how we collaborate are essential. The goal is not to banish email but to use it in a way that enhances rather than detracts from the wellbeing of individuals and organisations alike.

WorkLife Digital is a global mental-wellbeing consultancy driven by the mission to improve the sustainability of businesses. Our psychological wellbeing tool, Worklife Quotient (WL-Q), is modelled on cutting-edge scientific research and provides organisation-wide measurement and intelligence on the mental wellbeing levels and psychological resilience of staff. WL-Q also assesses the impact of organisational practices (i.e. people and culture, leadership styles, organisational purpose and values, social impact) that have a direct influence on staff wellbeing and provides strategic recommendations on addressing risks and promoting strengths.

For more information, get in touch at lisa@worklife.digital

References

* https://news.uci.edu/2012/05/03/jettisoning-work-email-reduces-stress/

** https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/you-re-right-you-are-working-longer-and-attending-more-meetings