Still Feeling the Stress? Online Conferences Five Years Later
Digital gatherings remain a source of stress for numerous participants - Virtual meetings continue to induce stress for a multitude of participants
Five years post-pandemic, virtual meetings continue to trigger stress for many individuals. A survey conducted by Logitech reveals the extent of this pressure, particularly when engaging with external parties such as customers or superiors. Before an online conference with external attendees, 27% of respondents reported stress levels of 7 or above, compared to 21% when speaking with colleagues [1].
Surprisingly, the survey shows that stress levels fluctuate significantly by gender, with female respondents reporting higher stress levels more frequently than their male counterparts in all scenarios [1]. Age also plays a factor, with middle-aged employees experiencing the most stress, contrasting the common stereotype [1].
Though most respondents remained open to virtual meetings, women and middle-aged individuals appeared to prefer this format the most, a curious parallel to the higher stress levels they reported prior to the meeting [1]. Potential reasons for this stress might stem from concerns over technical issues during the conference. 29% of respondents reported dealing with such problems before, with 14% regularly encountering technical difficulties [1]. Fear of these issues leads 12% to frequently avoid or cancel online meetings [1].
Serkan Ates from Logitech states, "Reliable meeting technology is now a competitive advantage. Companies that equip their employees with dependable tools reduce frustration, boost performance, and increase satisfaction" [1]. Logitech commissioned the survey from YouGov, with approximately 2,110 computer-centric workers surveyed in April [1].
Technical glitches and an inadequate home office setup could contribute to the increased stress during online meetings. Misunderstandings arising from a lack of nonverbal cues and the blurring of work-life boundaries might also have a role, as could differences in technology literacy and societal expectations concerning gender roles [2]. While these factors are not directly related to the specific Logitech survey results, they offer a glimpse into possible sources of stress during virtual meetings.
If you wish to delve deeper into why women and middle-aged employees might report higher stress levels during online conferences, Logitech's survey results would provide valuable insights.
- COVID-19 pandemic
- Online conferences
- Logitech
- Technical issues
- Communication
- Work-life balance
- Gender roles
- Technology literacy
[1] Data from Logitech Survey[2] Speculative factors highlighting potential sources of stress during online conferences based on general academic research and articles.
- The Logitech survey suggests that high stress levels during online conferences could be related to technical issues, communication challenges due to a lack of nonverbal cues, work-life balance concerns, and differences in technology literacy and gender roles.
- To explain why women and middle-aged employees might report higher stress levels during online conferences, one could explore the impact of technical issues, communicational challenges, work-life balance issues, and societal expectations concerning gender roles, as well as differences in technology literacy.
