ABSTRACT
Since Conrad Zuse introduced the first freely programmable calculating machine (i.e., the first computer in 1941), the world has changed (LMZ, n.d.). Information and communication technologies are omnipresent. The number of internet users worldwide has risen continuously to an estimated 4.9 billion in 2021 (Johnson, 2021). That is more than 60% of the world’s population. The economy has also changed drastically. Digitization has redefined enterprise structures, processes, and business models. Entirely new industries like the internet and the mobile phone sector have emerged. There are excellent economic arguments for digitization in terms of increased productivity, reduced cost, and higher profitability. However, there is a downside—digital stress. For some years now a significant increase in mental impairments among personnel has been observed that can lead to physical diseases. They make contributions to illness-related absenteeism, imposing high costs on society. The digitization at work with new requirements has a share in this. This chapter takes a closer look into the triggers of digital stress at work and a selection of ways to deal with it.
