Technology is shaking up how we work, and it’s affecting fairness in society. A research project called “Digitalization, Automation and the Future of Work in Post-Industrial Welfare States” recently shared results about how tech changes can mess with our health, causing something called technostress.

This team of researchers looks at how people handle all the constant changes in tech and the challenges they face. They come from different areas like organizational and management research, plus political science. They’re interested in figuring out how things like where you come from and the social systems in welfare states can impact the link between tech changes and health.

To do this, they collected data from almost 25,000 people in 24 countries, covering things like personal income, technostress, and unemployment benefits. This helps them see how the social and political context affects how people feel about the changes in technology.

“By looking at unemployment benefits, for example, we conclude that these payments go in line with lower stress levels caused by technology,” the researchers explain. “The more generous the social programs in a welfare state, the less technostress its residents are likely to experience.”

Technostress

The research clarifies this impact by saying people feel less stressed about work when they’re not as worried about being overloaded or losing their jobs to someone more skilled or to automation.

This highlights how important it is for governments to help people in today’s job scene. Countries with strong welfare programs that support the job market can really lessen how stressed people feel about technology changes. But, there’s a catch—these measures might make the gap between countries bigger when it comes to social and individual health.

Folks from wealthier welfare states in northern and western Europe might be more mentally prepared to handle the challenges of technology and digitization.