AI is transforming work, but it is important to stay mindful of technostress

Artificial intelligence promises to revolutionise work in many positive ways, but new technologies always have their downsides. What does technostress mean, and why is it an important topic right now?

In autumn 2022, OpenAI launched ChatGPT to the general public, which fundamentally changed working life. AI is on everyone’s lips, and the opportunities offered by large language models cannot be overlooked by any competitive organisation. AI promises many benefits: it streamlines processes, increases the degree of automation and provides a virtual assistant to individuals. What is particularly interesting from a healthcare perspective is that one of the most popular uses of large language models is to serve as a kind of therapeutic support tool.

New technologies are driving humanity forward and offering unprecedented opportunities. However, the effects are not exclusively positive. Mobile phones began to become more common in the late 1990s, and it is only now — more than two decades later — that there is a serious social debate on whether they should be banned in primary school classes, for example. Smartphone addiction and people’s reduced ability to concentrate have become a concern. Social media has created new professions and business lines, but is also suspected of increasing mental health problems, and in some countries, it is already banned for certain age groups.

In other words, technology can be a double-edged sword. This was noted by Craig Brod in 1984, when he wrote about the emergence of computers and coined the term 'technostress'. Technostress refers to the harmful strain on humans when using technology.

What does technostress mean?

It is important to distinguish technostress from the broader concept of stress: stress can also be positive, known as eustress. When talking about technostress, the focus is specifically on harmful stress, which should be consciously limited and reduced.

Technostress can be caused by many things: uncertainty about the continuity of work, complexity generated by technology, or situations where an automated process fails and requires manual correction at an unplanned time. The good news is that technostress can be reduced, but it requires both an understanding of its factors and the ability to react to them at an individual and organisational level.

You can also read other expert articles on the impact of AI on brain work, the dynamics and management of the work community, and what organisations should adopt and retain on their way towards the digital future.

The blog post was written by Kimmo Haapanen, Occupational Psychologist and Development Manager at Mehiläinen