Communications of the ACM
Stressed Out? Blame Bad Technology
Credit: Bloomberg
Emily Dreyfuss used to yell at Alexa, the Amazon virtual assistant, when things went wrong.
"I used her as a scapegoat for my feelings," says Dreyfuss, a writer and editor for Harvard's Shorenstein Center. "I talked to her in not the nicest terms."
Tech frustrations happen. Research suggests it can also damage a worker's state of mind and productivity. Computer giant Dell Technologies, in partnership with neuroscience firm EMOTIV, put people through a gauntlet of bad tech experiences, and then measured their brainwaves to gauge their reactions.
"The moment people started using bad technology, we saw a doubling of their levels of stress," says Olivier Oullier, EMOTIV's president. That has a lasting effect, he says.
Constant frustration with bad tech affects how staffers handle their daily workloads, especially younger workers. Gen Z and Millennial test subjects saw a 30% productivity drop as a result.
Remote work environments are not helping. In an office, IT support can troubleshoot tech problems. At home, you may be on your own.
From The Japan Times
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