The Dual Impact of Digital Connectivity: Balancing Productivity and Well-Being in the Modern Workplace
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria
2.2. Data Extraction
2.3. Results Interpretation
2.4. Quality Assessment
3. Results
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
Appendix A
Database | Search String |
---|---|
PubMed | ALL = digital connectivity OR digital connectivity AND smart working OR digital connectivity AND insomnia OR digital connectivity AND burnout OR digital connectivity and well-being |
Google Scholar | ALL = digital connectivity OR digital connectivity AND smart working OR digital connectivity AND social impact OR digital connectivity AND infrastructure sharing OR digital connectivity AND smart working burnout in the context OR digital connectivity AND COVID-19 OR digital connectivity AND infrastructure OR digital connectivity AND social impacts OR policy framework AND digital connectivity OR digital connectivity AND well-being OR COVID-19 pandemic digital work OR COVID-19 pandemic digital transformation OR digital transformation AND digital connectivity OR digital connectivity AND social media OR digital connectivity AND emotional implications OR digital connectivity AND sleep problems |
Cochrane Library | ALL = digital connectivity OR digital connectivity AND smart working OR digital connectivity AND work |
Scopus | ALL = digital connectivity OR digital connectivity AND smart working |
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Phase | Number of Studies | Reason for Selection or Exclusion |
---|---|---|
Studies initially identified | ~500 | Retrieved from Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Library. |
Studies after duplicate removal and screening | ~200 | Exclusion of duplicates and non-relevant articles. |
Full-text studies assessed for eligibility | ~100 | Retained based on methodological rigor and relevance. |
Final studies included | ~40 | High-quality studies used for PRISMA-based review. |
Author(s) | Year | Study Objective | Methodology | Main Findings |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nadler, R. [14] | 2020 | Examine the impact of videoconferencing on communication and cognitive fatigue. | Literature review. | Videoconferencing can increase cognitive fatigue due to the lack of non-verbal cues and the extra effort needed to process information. |
Sasaki, N. et al. [1] | 2020 | Investigate the impact of remote work on employees’ mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. | Cross-sectional study with online questionnaires. | Remote work is associated with lower psychological stress levels compared to in-office work during the pandemic. |
Majumdar, P. et al. [15] | 2020 | Examine screen exposure and mental fatigue in remote workers. | Experimental study measuring cognitive fatigue. | Extended screen time significantly increases mental fatigue. |
Bailenson, J.N. [16] | 2021 | Analyze the causes of "Zoom fatigue" and propose solutions to mitigate it. | Theoretical analysis based on previous studies. | Excessive close-up eye contact, constant self-view, and restricted mobility contribute to videoconference fatigue. |
Fauville, G. et al. [17] | 2021 | Develop and validate the "Zoom Exhaustion & Fatigue Scale" (ZEF) to measure videoconference-related fatigue. | Empirical study with participants using videoconferencing tools. | The ZEF scale is a valid tool for measuring fatigue associated with video conferencing use. |
Bennett, A.A. et al. [18] | 2021 | Explore changes in fatigue after videoconference meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic. | Longitudinal study with pre- and post-meeting surveys. | Videoconference meetings are linked to increased fatigue, especially when prolonged without breaks. |
Okabe-Miyamoto, K. et al. [19] | 2021 | Examine the effect of constant connectivity on employee productivity during the pandemic. | Quantitative study with online surveys. | Costant connecivity is associated with a decrease in perceived productivity. |
Zhang, Y. et al. [20] | 2021 | Investigate the impact of videoconferencing on workers’ mental health. | Cross-sectional study with psychological questionnaires. | Frequent videoconferencing is correlated with symptoms of anxiety and depression. |
Nguyen, T. et al. [10] | 2021 | Assess the effect of videoconferencing on stress management in remote teams. | Qualitative study with manager interviews. | Videoconferencing can be stressful for remote teams, requiring specific management strategies. |
Ivanov, D. et al. [21] | 2021 | Investigate the impact of videoconfere on information security in organizations. | Case study with security incident analysis. | Videoconferencing can increase information security risks if not managed properly. |
Shockley, K.M. et al. [2] | 2021 | Investigate the effect of remote work on employee well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. | Cross-sectional study with online surveys. | Remote work has mixed effects on well-being, improving work-life balance for some but increasing burnout for others. |
Galanti, T. et al. [4] | 2021 | Analyze the effect of remote work on employee well-being and work-life balance during the COVID-19 pandemic. | Quantitative study with employee surveys. | Remote work improved work-life balance but also increased feelings of isolation and burnout. |
Roberts, J.K. et al. [22] | 2021 | Investigate the effect of constant connectivity on cognitive load. | Experimental study with cognitive task performance. | Constant connectivity increases cognitive load compared to face-to-face communication. |
Dresp-Langley, B. et al. [5] | 2022 | Analyze the impact of prolonged digital device use on sleep during the pandemic. | Observational study with sleep monitoring. | Increased digital device use, especially before bedtime, is associated with reduced sleep quality and higher insomnia rates. |
Bleakley, A. et al. [23] | 2022 | Investigate how videoconferencing affects team collaboration. | Experimental study with team tasks. | Videoconferencing reduces collaboration efficiency due to delayed communication. |
Battisti, E. et al. [24] | 2021 | Examine the effect of digital connectivity on employees’ time management. | Quantitative study with work-time analysis. | Digital connectivity can lead to inefficient time management and work overload. |
Johnson, K.J. et al. [25] | 2021 | Examine digital platform use and sleep disorders during COVID-19. | Prospective cohort study. | Prolonged digital platform use was associated with insomnia. |
Chanana, N. et al. [26] | 2021 | Examining the role of hyper-connectivity to digital devices in employee engagement. | Survey-based study with remote workers. | Hyper-connectivity can reduce engagement due to cognitive overload. |
Döring, N. et al. [27] | 2022 | Examine the association between hyper-connectivity use and eye fatigue. | Experimental study with ocular measurements. | Prolonged hyper-connectivity is linked to symptoms of eye strain, highlighting the need for regular breaks. |
Alvarez-Gutierrez, L. et al. [28] | 2022 | Examine the effect of digital connectivity on leadership effectiveness. | Interviews with remote team leaders. | Leaders find it harder to build rapport and trust through videoconferencing. |
Raake, A. et al. [29] | 2022 | Explore coping strategies for videoconferencing fatigue. | Meta-analysis of existing studies. | Strategies like reducing screen time and incorporating breaks help mitigate fatigue. |
Van Zoonen, W. et al. [30] | 2022 | Analyze the psychological effects of prolonged virtual communication. | Longitudinal study with mental health assessments. | Prolonged virtual communication is linked to higher stress and anxiety levels. |
Park, E. S. et al. [31] | 2023 | Investigate the impact of remote work policies on employee satisfaction. | Large-scale employee survey. | Flexible remote work policies increase satisfaction, but excessive videoconferencing negates benefits. |
Tsai, H. H.. et al. [32] | 2023 | Analyze the relationship between digital connectivity and social isolation. | Longitudinal study. | Digital connectivity can increase feelings of social isolation. |
Costin, A. et al. [33] | 2023 | Assess the impact of digital connectivity on productivity and employee well-being. | Longitudinal study. | Effective digital connectivity was crucial for productivity but led to burnout and digital fatigue. |
Thompson, S.M. et al. [34] | 2022 | Analyze the impact of hyper-connectivity on job satisfaction. | Longitudinal study. | Excessive hyper-connectivity can reduce job satisfaction over time. |
Evans, H. et al. [7] | 2023 | Assess the impact of virtual backgrounds on videoconferencing fatigue. | Experimental study. | Virtual backgrounds can reduce visual fatigue but may increase cognitive strain. |
Bailey, D. R. et al. [35] | 2023 | Analyze videoconferencing’s effect on learning engagement. | Longitudinal study. | Videoconferencing can decrease student engagement compared to in-person learning. |
Martinez et al. [36] | 2023 | Analyze the impact of remote work on mental health among teachers. | Cross-sectional study. | Remote teachers reported higher burnout than in-person teachers. |
Choung, Y. et al. [37] | 2023 | Investigate digital connectivity’s effect on well-being in the financial sector. | Mixed-method study. | Stable digital connectivity improved productivity but increased stress. |
Garcia-Perez, A. et al. [8] | 2023 | Explore digital connectivity’s impact on healthcare workers’ well-being. | Qualitative study. | Digital connectivity made separating work from life harder, increasing stress. |
Palos-Sanchez, P. R. et al. [38] | 2023 | Investigate videoconferencing’s effect on team cohesion. | Mixed-method study. | Videoconferencing can reduce team trust and cohesion. |
Chen, W. H. et al. [39] | 2023 | Assess the impact of virtual team meetings on innovation. | Case study with R&D teams. | Virtual meetings limit spontaneous idea exchange, reducing innovation. |
Deng, H. et al. [40] | 2023 | Assess digital communication’s impact on job performance. | Mixed-method study with employee feedback. | Digital communication tools improve efficiency but increase stress. |
Charoenporn, V. et al. [41] | 2023 | Evaluate how AI-driven tools can reduce videoconferencing fatigue. | Experimental study using AI-assisted communication. | AI tools that summarize meetings reduce cognitive strain and improve efficiency. |
Luebstorf, S. et al. [42] | 2023 | Examine strategies to reduce digital fatigue in remote workers. | Experimental study. | Regular breaks and adjusting screen time significantly reduce digital fatigue. |
Štukovnik, V. et al. [43] | 2024 | Assess the effect of hyper-connectivity on employees’ sleep quality. | Observational study. | Hyper-connectivity is associated with reduced sleep quality. |
Xiao, T. et al. [44] | 2024 | Examine digital device use and sleep disorders. | Observational study. | Prolonged device use is correlated with sleep disturbances. |
Delgado, K. et al. [45] | 2024 | Analyze videoconferencing’s impact on professional training. | Qualitative study. | Videoconferencing is less effective than in-person training. |
Brown, T. et al. [12] | 2024 | Analyze the impact of hyper-connectivity on posture and musculoskeletal pain. | Ergonomic study with postural assessments. | Hyper-connectivity is linked to poor posture and increased musculoskeletal pain. |
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Share and Cite
Bondanini, G.; Giovanelli, C.; Mucci, N.; Giorgi, G. The Dual Impact of Digital Connectivity: Balancing Productivity and Well-Being in the Modern Workplace. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22, 845. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22060845
Bondanini G, Giovanelli C, Mucci N, Giorgi G. The Dual Impact of Digital Connectivity: Balancing Productivity and Well-Being in the Modern Workplace. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2025; 22(6):845. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22060845
Chicago/Turabian StyleBondanini, Giorgia, Cristina Giovanelli, Nicola Mucci, and Gabriele Giorgi. 2025. "The Dual Impact of Digital Connectivity: Balancing Productivity and Well-Being in the Modern Workplace" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 22, no. 6: 845. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22060845
APA StyleBondanini, G., Giovanelli, C., Mucci, N., & Giorgi, G. (2025). The Dual Impact of Digital Connectivity: Balancing Productivity and Well-Being in the Modern Workplace. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 22(6), 845. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22060845