Editorial: Impact of digitalization on workers' health and work-life balance

Abstract

Impact of digitalization on workers' health and work-life balanceThis Research Topic gathered publications focusing on the impact of technology and digitalization on employees' working activities, health, and work-life balance of employees.As technology becomes more and more essential to perform work-related tasks, it is crucial to understand how, even though on the one hand it can give a great support and facilitate working life, on the other hand, it can have a negative impact on the wellbeing of workers, as many jobs are at risk of becoming automated, lacking engagement and creativity.The studies included in this Research Topic highlighted important findings concerning digitalization and proposed countermeasures to reduce the negative effects of this process, which had been intensified by COVID-19.During the COVID-19 pandemic, as work and social life became more overlapped and intertwined, the need to adapt to this new reality started to emerge, to ensure that the work-life balance of workers was maintained even during the pandemic (1, 2).Oosthuizen performed a review on the issues in emerging digital workspaces, with insight into the conceptualization of smart technology, artificial intelligence, robotics, and algorithms.One of the central trends the author reports on is the work-life integration that happened during the COVID-19 pandemic: when employees who work from home still had to be granted time and space for their personal lives.The right to be able to disconnect from work when working from home is an emerging issue and should be investigated in further studies.The study by Hartner-Tiefenthaler et al. evaluated the positive and negative aspects of Online Access to Work Tools outside work (OAWT) related to available and required flexibility, work interrupting non-work behaviors, and job satisfaction.The results showed that OAWT is associated with available flexibility that relates positively to job satisfaction.However, at the same time, it is also associated with the required flexibility, which relates negatively to job satisfaction and positively to work-interrupting non-work behaviors.The paper highlights how it is essential that organizations openly communicate their expectations regarding work-extending behaviors and thoroughly reflect their policies about employees' availability outside office hours.This manuscript highlights an important duality tied to work-life balance and technology: while blocking OAWT could impair employees' autonomy outside of the workplace, the expectation from the employer that the employee must be always available if this service is provided could have a negative impact on the wellbeing of workers.

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