Overworking & Stress

Project 1: Research Report Anita Zeng YSDN 3006 Fall 2019 1

Contents

Introduction 1

User Group 2

Current Market 5

Emerging Technologies 18

References 24

Introduction

In the age of increasing automation and efficiency, there is a global trend emerging of workplace culture that values hyper-productivity, long hours, and poor work-life balance. A 2017 study revealed that 89% of the British workforce have forced themselves to go to work while sick, with over half reported having taken no sick days in the last 6 months (Bradley, 2017). In parts of Asian, the phenomenon of death by overwork is so commonplace that they have their own phrases: guolaosi in China and karoshi in Japan, where 20% report working over 80 hours of overtime weekly (Berke, 2018).

Severe stress from overwork has been linked to higher rates of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes (Primm, 2005, Ross, 2015). Despite these significant health impacts, governments and corporations are slow to rethink our current workplace culture (Bradley, 2017).

This research report will examine workplace stress with a focus on young professionals, aged 20 to 35, or approximately the millennial generation. It will critique trends surrounding the current products and services available, and consider emerging technologies from a broader healthcare scope that may facilitate better solutions.

User Group

Millennials & Overworking

A few key demographic trends make millennials highly susceptible to overworking and its subsequent effect of severe stress. The majority of individuals in this age group are just starting their careers and likely have yet to learn how to establish a healthy work-life balance. Many overworked young professionals have reported initially feeling excitement at being important enough to be needed to work overtime (Cooper, 2013). While this work pace eventually leads to burnout, their inexperience with recognizing their limits may prevent them from decreasing to a healthy workload and may lead to reluctance in communicating their burden with superiors.

Similarly, trends in the current economy have plagued young adults with high student debt and a difficult job market (Drillinger, 2018). This places many in a position where they place high value in their jobs and overwork off fear of being replaced. Millennials are statistically more likely to feel guilt over taking time off, either because they do not want to be viewed as slacking off or because they feel they cannot afford it (Carmichael, 2016).

The final key characteristic of this age group that puts them at risk of overworking is the workplace environments they often find themselves in. Young adults are likely to be employed in modern, start-up companies where overworking and stress are a staple in the "hustle culture" (Griffith, 2019). This mindset, which began in the technology companies of Silicon Valley and has spread out to become synonymous with millennial work culture, enforces that anything is achievable through hard work and employees should be entirely devoted to their careers (Drillinger, 2018; Griffith, 2019).

Millennials & Health

In terms of overall health concerns, millennials place greater importance on mental health than their preceding generations (Harpaz, 2019). Out of the top ten health conditions impacting millennials, six were behavioural health conditions—affecting mental health and emotional well-being—with major depression being the number one health issue (BCBS Health Index, 2019). This aligns with the overall trend of young adults having a more holistic approach to health, where 71% believe wellness includes both mental and physical health (Harpaz, 2019).

Regarding healthcare solutions, millennials tend to have a distrust in the traditional healthcare system, with only 58% reporting that they trust their doctors and only 45% having a primary care physician (Harpaz, 2019; Kolpakov, 2019). Additionally, 50% of millennials have reported not seeing a doctor in order to save money, indicating the need for more cost-effective healthcare solutions (Harpaz, 2019). They are more open to alternative methods of healthcare, enjoy convenience, and wish to have information readily available to take their healthcare into their own hands (Harpaz, 2019; Kolpakov, 2019). With these values, it is no surprise that young adults are increasingly adopting technology-driven healthcare tools, such as wearable technology or online resources for health information, and have reported a desire to see more digital healthcare services in the future (Harpaz, 2019).

Current Market

Break Reminders

Periodic breaks during the workday reduce the physical strains of remaining stagnant at a desk, decrease stress, and increase overall productivity (Reddy, 2018). Tools that remind users to take a rest from their work are often found in the form of desktop software, mobile applications, or smartwatches. Examples include EyeLeo, Stretchly, and Stand Up which use notifications or screen blocking to prompt the user to rest their eyes, stretch, or take a walk.

EyeLeo application [Digital Image]. Retrieved from https://ccm.net/download/download-21828-eyeleo

Stretchly application [Digital Image]. Retrieved from https://github.com/hovancik/stretchly

Stand Up application [Digital Image]. Retrieved from https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/stand-up-the-work-break-timer/id828244687

A major weakness of these solutions is the disruption to the user’s workflow. For example, having the screen blocked out by a stretch reminder during a business call would be less than ideal. Additionally, there is minimal incentive to actually comply with the prompts—users can easily dismiss the prompt or turn away from their computer screens only to look at their phone screens instead.

Team Management

Team management tools take an organizational approach to relieving workplace stress by streamlining collaboration, project workflows, and scheduling. These are often found in the form of online platforms, some with accompanying mobile applications. There are roughly three categories of team management tools: task management, communication, and time tracking.

Examples of task management platforms include Trello, Monday, and Basecamp.

Trello application [Digital Image]. Retrieved from https://trello.com/guide/create-a-board

Monday application [Digital Image]. Retrieved from https://monday.com

Basecamp application [Digital Image]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=su5xAZHF114

Popular team communication tools include Slack and Twist.

Slack application [Digital Image]. Retrieved from https://slack.com/intl/en-in/downloads/windows

Twist application [Digital Image]. Retrieved from https://zapier.com/blog/updates/1106/twist-integrations

Lastly, examples of time trackers are Clockify and TimeCamp.

Clockify application [Digital Image]. Retrieved from https://clockify.me/help/reports/summary-report

TimeCamp application [Digital Image]. Retrieved from https://www.softwarepundit.com/timecamp-review

A drawback of these digital tools is that they are accessible from anywhere and, paired with the persistent notifications, may encourage employees to work outside the office. While digital communication can help facilitate open conversations between employees and their superiors, they do not address the issue of young adults being reluctant to admit they are overworked.

In the case of time trackers, while they can be a tool for managers to evenly distribute workload, the hours logged are not always an accurate reflection of how much stress an employee is under. Studies have shown that employees who work long hours but are able to switch off from work mode face less negative health effects than employees who work the same number of hours but tend to obsess over their work (Darmody, 2018). Additionally, allowing employees to see their times logged may create a competitive environment within the workplace.

Desk Toys

These stress-relief gadgets or desk toys are a more straightforward approach to workplace stress that provide a momentary distraction. These products are typically tactile, malleable, and involve a soothing, repetitive movement.

Human Face Stress Ball [Digital Image]. Retrieved from http://www.shutupandtakemymoney.com/human-face-stress-ball/

Mini Buddha Board [Digital Image]. Retrieved from https://www.themuse.com/advice/18-stressrelieving-toys-thatll-fit-on-your-desk

Tabletop Zen Garden [Digital Image]. Retrieved from https://www.amazon.ca/Table-Garden-Incense-Holder-Tabletop/dp/B01CZ4CFCO

Kneadable Erasers [Digital Image]. Retrieved from https://www.therapyshoppe.com/category/P2265-kneadable-erasers-classroom-writing-tool-f ocus-fidget-toys

While fun, these products are a temporary solution that do not attempt to get closer to the root of workplace stress.

Deskercise Exercise has been shown to decrease the body’s reactivity to stress, release endorphins, and improve mood (Primm, 2005). Products currently available that aim to bring the benefits of exercise to the office desk include under-desk ellipticals, chair balance cushions, and treadmill desks.

Under-desk ellipticals [Digital Image]. Retrieved from https://mashable.com/2018/03/19/office-desk-exercise-techniques-gear/

Chair balance cushion [Digital Image]. Retrieved from https://mashable.com/2018/03/19/office-desk-exercise-techniques-gear/

Treadmill desk [Digital Image]. Retrieved from https://www.standingdesknation.com/products/lifespan-tr800-dt5-treadmill-desk?variant=153 92600424482

The drawbacks of these types of equipment include cost, lower cognitive performance, difficulty in maintaining use, and potential for injury (Larson, 2015).

Workplace Interventions and Skills Training

Workplace interventions and workshops designed to decrease stress in the office can be categorized into three levels: primary interventions which seek to positively change the workplace structure, secondary interventions that train employees on how to manage their stress, and tertiary interventions which help employees recover from stressful events (Sidle, 2008).

Studies have found cognitive-behaviour interventions that urge employees to rethink how they approach stress are the most effective (Sidle, 2008). Despite their success, workplace interventions are not as easily adopted due to cost and the need for organizational action (Bhui et al., 2016).

Emerging Technologies

Wearables

Wearable technology is a rapidly expanding industry with a major value proposition of convenience. In 2017, adults in the United States used 77 million wearable devices and the market is expected to reach $150 billion by 2027 (Crucius, 2018). Beyond smartwatches and fitness tracker bands, wearables have extended to include patches, glasses, jewelry, and fashion. Examples include the L’Oreal UV Sense, a patch worn on the thumbnail that measures UV exposure and notifies users to protect their skin, and the Owlet, a smart sock that monitors oxygen levels and heart rate in infants (Elysium Health, 2018).

L’Oreal UV Sense [Digital Image]. Retrieved from https://www.wearable-technologies.com/2018/07/loreals-batteryless-uv-sense-fits-on-your-fin gernail/

Owlet smart sock [Digital Image]. Retrieved from https://www.amazon.com/Owlet-Smart-Sock-Baby-Monitor/dp/B06ZZXYD6S

Data Collection and Sharing

With the monitoring capabilities provided by emerging technologies, individuals are now able to collect vast amounts of health data that they can use to improve their wellbeing. For example, iTBra inserts measure circadian metabolic changes that indicate the presence of breast tumours and shares this information with physicians, enabling early detection (Elysium Health, 2018). Similarly, Air Louisville is a project that utilizes sensors attached to individual’s asthma inhalers to collect data on the city’s air quality, consolidates this information to identify hotspots of poor air quality, and shares this information with the public (Elysium Health, 2018).

iTBra [Digital Image]. Retrieved from https://steemhunt.com/tag/wearable/@xplore/itbra-early-cancer-detection-via-a-bra

Air Louisville [Digital Image]. Retrieved from https://airlouisville.com/results.html

Artificial Intelligence

Also enabled by the large amount of healthcare data now available is the emerging field of artificial intelligence in healthcare. Artificial intelligence has the potential to algorithmically review healthcare data to gain insights that can then be used to assist in areas such as diagnosis, patient care, and administrative tasks (Jiang, 2017; Marr, 2018). Examples include Care Angel’s virtual nurse assistant that is available around the clock to monitor patients and algorithms to detect skin cancers that have been in development (Marr, 2018).

Outpatient Care

Another emerging healthcare technology trend is devices that remove the need for assistance by healthcare professionals or the use of traditional, heavy machinery. This empowers patients to take care of their health personally, in the comfort of their own homes. Examples of these devices include the KardiaBand, which allows wearers to perform an electrocardiogram without the discomfort of being hooked up to cables, and the Rapael Smart Glove, which provides physical therapy to help patients regain mobility to their hands without the assistance of a physical therapist (Elysium Health, 2018; Marbury, 2017).

KardiaBand [Digital Image]. Retrieved from https://www.macrumors.com/2018/03/11/alivecor-kardiaband-high-potassium-study/

Rapael Smart Glove [Digital Image]. Retrieved from https://steemit.com/steemhunt/@motordrive/rapael-smart-glove-a-high-tech-glove-for-hand-re habilitation

Problems in Emerging Technologies

As discussed, many of these technological innovations are made possible by data collection. However, this does not come without its own disadvantages. Large volumes of data that only continue to grow require adequate storage and management. Failure to provide this may lead to unusable data, breach in data security, and poor medical treatment (Manchanda, 2019). Along the same lines of data security is data privacy which raises questions such as who owns an individual’s healthcare data, how much data should be stored, and who should be able to view this information without the individual’s consent (Meingast, Roosta, Sastry, 2006). While regulations for medical data do exist, they must be reformed to keep pace with technological innovation (Manchanda, 2019).

References

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Bhui, K., Dinos, S., Galant-Miecznikowska, M., Jongh, B. D., & Stansfeld, S. (2016). Perceptions of work stress causes and effective interventions in employees working in public, private and non-governmental organisations: a qualitative study. BJPsych Bulletin, 40(6), 318–325. doi: 10.1192/pb.bp.115.050823

Bradley, S. A. (2017, June 26). Beware The Burnout: The Danger Of Overworking. Retrieved from https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/sian-abigail-bradley/beware-the-burnout-the-da_b_17 283264.html.

Carmichael, S. G. (2016, August 22). Millennials Are Actually Workaholics, According to Research. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2016/08/millennials-are-actually-workaholics-according-to-research.

Crucius, S. (2018, June 6). Wearable Tech is Here to Stay with a Robust Presence in the Future Healthcare Industry. Retrieved from https://www.wearable-technologies.com/2018/06/wearable-tech-is-here-to-stay-with-a-r obust-presence-in-the-future-healthcare-industry/.

Darmody, J. (2018, June 20). Overworking: Are we in danger of working ourselves to death? Retrieved from https://www.siliconrepublic.com/careers/overworking-karoshi-workaholics.

Drillinger, M. (2018, December 11). The Tired Generation: 4 Reasons Millennials Are Always Exhausted. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/millennials-exhausted-all-the-time#1.

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