Abstract
Throughout history, technology and innovation have reliably demonstrated their power to optimise human capability and efficiency. Robotics and digital technology occupy an integral space in global everyday life and human experience, operating as both a disruptive and an enabling force. While a steady and predictable increase in the reliance on technology was apparent prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, as it unfolded, the strategic and practical importance of technology to economic survival was profoundly reinforced. This chapter examines how digital technology has been leveraged to support increased organisational efficiency, but also how technological change has diminished the quality of work engagement and output. The implications of the ensuing changes for organisational learning, worker motivation, mental health and sense of organisational connectedness, also carry a quantifiable cost, which has been underexplored. The chapter proposes that the increasing integration of digital technology in everyday work life also has cognitive, psychosocial and affective components that contribute in important ways to understanding adaptive and maladaptive patterns of work engagement and productivity. Recommendations for future research directions are proposed, underscoring the relevance of these issues and the need for them to feature more readily in organisational planning, in work design initiatives, and in technology policy development.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aagaard, J. (2021). Beyond the rhetoric of tech addiction: why we should be discussing tech habits instead (and how). Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences, 20(3), 559–572.
Akhtar, P & Moor, P. (2016). The psychosocial impacts of technological change in contemporary workplaces and trade union responses. International Journal of Labour Research, 8(1/2), 101–131.
Akundi, A., Euresti, D., Luna S., Akobiah, W., Lopes, A. and Edinbarough, I (2022). State of Industry 5.0 – Analysis and Identification of Current Research Trends, in Applied System Innovation, 5 (1):27.
Al-Imam, A., Motyka, M. A., & Jędrzejko, M. Z. (2020). Conflicting opinions in connection with digital superintelligence. IAES International Journal of Artificial Intelligence, 9(2), 336.
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.).
American Psychiatric Association, D. S. M. T. F., & American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5 (Vol. 5, No. 5). Washington, DC: American psychiatric association.
Aon (September, 2020). Global Catastrophy Recap, September 2020. URL: http://thoughtleadership.aon.com/documents/20200810_analytics-if-september-global-recap.pdf#:~:text=Global%20Catastrophe%20Recap%3A%20September%202020%205%20After%20bringing,least%20eight%20fatalities%20and%20several%20injuries%20were%20reported
Balliester, T., & Elsheikhi, A. (2018). The future of work: a literature review. ILO Research Department Working Paper, 29, 1–54.
Baum, S. (2017). A survey of artificial general intelligence projects for ethics, risk, and policy. Global Catastrophic Risk Institute Working Paper, 17-1.
Bayiates, A; Weiss, D; Downey, E.; Ranjan, R. & Bhat, R.(Eds.). (2020). Becoming and AI-Fuelled Organization: Deloitte’s State of AI in the Enterprise. 4th Edition. Deloitte AI Institute and Deloitte Centre for Integrated Research.
BBC (May 7, 2022). Nearly 100,000 People faced delayed GP appointments. URL: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-61318916
Beech, M. (2020). COVID-19 Pushes up Internet Use 70% and Streaming more than 12%, First Figures Reveal. Forbes. March 25, 2020. URL:https://www.forbes.com/sites/markbeech/2020/03/25/covid-19-pushes-up-internet-use-70-streaming-more-than-12-first-figures-reveal/
Branca TA, Fornai B, Colla V, Murri MM, Streppa E, Schröder AJ. The Challenge of Digitalization in the Steel Sector. Metals. 2020; 10(2):288.https://doi.org/10.3390/met10020288
Cattell, R. B. (1963). Theory of fluid and crystallized intelligence: A critical experiment. Journal of Educational Psychology, 54: 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0046743
Centre for Disaster Philantrophy. (December, 2020). 2020 Monsoon Floods, Disaster Philantrophy, December 17, 2020. URL: https://disasterphilanthropy.org/disasters/2020-monsoon-floods/ (archived at https://perma.cc/D8GL-5GAN)
Cirillo, V., Evangelista, R., Guarascio, D., & Sostero, M. (2021). Digitalization, routineness and employment: An exploration on Italian task-based data. Research Policy, 50(7), 104079.
Comolli, V. (2020). Armed Conflict Survey, Editor’s Introduction, IISS, May 27, 2020. URL:https://www.iiss.org/publications/armed-conflict-survey/2020/armed-conflict-survey-2020
DeFilippis, E., Impink, S. M., Singell, M., Polzer, J. T., & Sadun, R. (2020). Collaborating during coronavirus: The impact of COVID-19 on the nature of work (No. w27612). National Bureau of Economic Research.
Dunn, H.S. (2009). Teleworking the Mobile Caribbean: Enabling Remote Work Among the Marginalized in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. Information Technologies and International Development, 5(2): 52–66.
Dunn, H.S. (Ed.) (2012). Ringtones of Opportunity: Policy, Technology and Access in Caribbean Communications. Kingston: Ian Randle.
Dunn, H.S. (2020). Creative resilience and globalization from within: evolving constructs for analysing culture, innovation, and enterprise in the global south, Annals of the International Communication Association, 44:1, 4–18, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/23808985.2018.1547121
Dyer, C. & Shepherd, K. (2021). Remote Work: Redesign Processes, Practices and Strategies to Engage a Remote Workforce. London: Kogan Page.
Ecoamet 2022. Michael Rada - Industry 5.0 & Industrial Upcycling. URL: https://ecoametsolutions.com/industry-5-0/#
El-Said, O., & Aziz, H. (2022). Virtual tours a means to an end: An analysis of virtual tours’ role in tourism recovery post COVID-19. Journal of Travel Research, 61(3), 528–548.
European Commission (2022). Industry 5.0: What this approach is focused on, how it will be achieved and how it is already being implemented. URL: https://ec.europa.eu/info/research-and-innovation/research-area/industrial-research-and-innovation/industry-50_en
Farrell, C. (2021, July 23). Older workers and ‘the big quit.’ Forbes. URL:https://www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2021/07/23/older-workers-and-the-big-quit/?sh=4b88b9933e47
Fuller, J., & Kerr, W. (2022, March 23). The great resignation didn’t start with the pandemic. Harvard Business Review. URL: https://hbr.org/2022/03/the-great-resignation-didnt-start-with-the-pandemic
Furnham, A. (2005). The Psychology of Behaviour at Work: The Individual and the Organisation. Hove: Psychology Press.
Goertzel, B. (2007). Artificial general intelligence (Vol. 2). C. Pennachin (Ed.). New York: Springer.
Goertzel, B. (2014). Artificial general intelligence: concept, state of the art, and future prospects. Journal of Artificial General Intelligence, 5(1), 1.
Goldberg, I. (1996). Internet addiction disorder. URL: https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Faeps.ulpgc.es%2FJR%2FDocumentos%2Fciberadictos.doc&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK
Hayle, C and Dunn, J.S. (2021). Role of the UCJ in supporting continuous quality improvement in higher education institutions. In S.I. Gift (Ed.) Caribbean Quality Culture: Persistent Commitment to Improving Higher Education (pp.329–341). Mona: UWI Press.
Holt, L. & Murray, L. (2021). Children and COVID-19 in the UK. Children’s Geographies, 1–8.
International Labour Organization. (2021). The role of digital labour platforms in transforming the world of work [Full report] [Report]. International Labour Organization. http://www.ilo.org/global/research/global-reports/weso/2021/WCMS_771749/lang–en/index.htm
Itani, O. S., & Hollebeek, L. D. (2021). Light at the end of the tunnel: Visitors’ virtual reality (versus in-person) attraction site tour-related behavioral intentions during and post-COVID-19. Tourism Management, 84, 104290.
ITU Academy (2020). Digital Skills Insight 2020, International Telecommunications Union, Geneva. URL: https://academy.itu.int/sites/default/files/media2/file/Digital%20Skills%20Insights%202020.pdf
Karabegović, I., Banjanović-Mehmedović, L., Husak, E., & Omerčić, M. (2023). Trend of implementing service robots in medical institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic: A review. Medical and Healthcare Robotics, 237–262.
Katzell, R. (1979). Changing attitudes to work. In C. Kerr & J. Rosnow (Eds.). Work in America: The decade ahead (pp.35–57). New York: Van Norstrand.
Kerr, C. & Rosnow, J (Eds). (1979). Work in America: The decade ahead. New York: Van Norstrand.
Ko, C. H., Yen, J. Y., Yen, C. F., Chen, C. S., & Chen, C. C. (2012). The association between Internet addiction and psychiatric disorder: a review of the literature. European Psychiatry, 27(1), 1–8.
Krumm, S., Terwiel, K. & Hertel, G. (2013). Challenges in Norm Formation and Adherence: The Knowledge, Skills and Ability Requirements of Virtual and Traditional Cross-Cultural Teams. Journal of Personnel Psychology, 12(1): 33–44. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1027/1866-5888/a000077
Loebbecke, C., & Picot, A. (2015). Reflections on societal and business model transformation arising from digitization and big data analytics: A research agenda. The Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 24(3), 149–157.
Lozano-Blasco, R., Robres, A. Q., & Sánchez, A. S. (2022). Internet addiction in young adults: A meta-analysis and systematic review. Computers in Human Behavior, 107201.
Lund, S., Madgavkar, A., Mischke, J., & Remes, J. (2021). What’s next for consumers, workers, and companies in the post-COVID-19 recovery. McKinsey & Company.
Neuwirth, L.S.; Jovic, S. & Mukherji, B.R. (2021). Reimagining higher education during and post-COVID-19: Opportunities and challenges. Journal of Adult and Continuing Education, 27(2): 141–156.
Nhamo, G., Dube, K., & Chikodzi, D. (2020). Implications of COVID-19 on gaming, leisure and entertainment industry. In Counting the Cost of COVID-19 on the Global Tourism Industry (pp. 273–295). Springer, Cham.
Nijhuis, M. (October 2020). The Westcoast wildfires are apocalypse, again, The New Yorker, October 20, 2020. URL: https://www.newyorker.com/news/annals-of-a-warming-planet/the-west-coast-wildfires-are-apocalypse-again
O’Neill, M. (2023). Future Hackers. Cheltenham, Gloucestershire: The History Press/Flint Publishing.
Parker, K. & Horowitz, J. M. (2022, March 9). Majority of workers who quit a job in 2021 cite low pay, no opportunities for advancement, feeling disrespected. Pew Research Center. URL: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2022/03/09/majority-of-workers-who-quit-a-job-in-2021-cite-low-pay-no-opportunities-for-advancement-feeling-disrespected/
Parker, S.K. & Grote, G. (2020). Automation, algorithms and beyond: Why work design matters more than ever in a digital world. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 1–45.
Parkes, M. (2021). Leading Remotely: Achieving Success in a Globally Connected World. London: Bloomsbury Business.
Phipps, S. (2022). What exactly is “The Great Resignation?”, Blog April 21, 2022. Middle Georgia State University, USA. URL: https://www.mga.edu/news/2022/04/what-is-the-great-resignation.php
Press, G. (2020). The Future of Work Post-COVID-19. Forbes. July 15, 2020.URL:https://www.forbes.com/sites/gilpress/2020/07/15/the-future-of-work-post-covid-19/
Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC). (2021). AI Predictions 2021. PWC. URL: https://www.pwc.com/us/en/tech-effect/ai-analytics/ai-predictions.html
SAP (2022). What is the future of work? URL: https://www.sap.com/insights/what-is-future-of-work.html#:~:text=The%20future%20of%20work%20is%20defined%20by%20two,rise%20in%20remote%20employees%20and%20gig%20workers.%20
Schwab K. (2016). The Fourth Industrial Revolution - World Economic Forum, Portfolio Penguin.
Shields, C. (2022). Bring Your Own Device Policy Tips and Best Practices for 2022. URL: https://www.ntiva.com/blog/bring-your-own-device-byod-policy
Spagnoli, P., Molino, M., Molinaro, D., Giancaspro, M. L., Manuti, A., & Ghislieri, C. (2020). Workaholism and technostress during the COVID-19 emergency: The crucial role of the leaders on remote working. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 620310.
Tadesse, S. & Muluye, W. (2020). The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Education System in Developing Countries: A Review. Open Journal of Social Sciences 8: 159–170. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4236/jss.2020.810011.
Turel, O., Serenko, A., & Giles, P. (2011). Integrating technology addiction and use: An empirical investigation of online auction users. MIS Quarterly, 1043–1061.
Weinstein, A., Feder, L. C., Rosenberg, K. P., & Dannon, P. (2014). Internet addiction disorder: Overview and controversies. Behavioral addictions, 99–117.
World Economic Forum (2018). The Future of Jobs Report 2018. World Economic Forum. URL: https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Future_of_Jobs_2018.pdf
Yildirmaz, A., Goldar, M. & Klein, S. (2020). Illuminating the Shadow Workforce: Insights into the Gig Workforce in Businesses. ADP Research Institute. URL: https://www.adp.com/-/media/adp/resourcehub/pdf/adpri/illuminating-the-shadow-workforce-by-adp-research-institute.ashx
Young, K. (2017). The evolution of internet addiction disorder. Internet addiction, 3–18.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2024 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Dunn, J.S., Dunn, H.S. (2024). The Changing Nature of Work in Digital Everyday Life. In: Dunn, H.S., Ragnedda, M., Ruiu, M.L., Robinson, L. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Everyday Digital Life . Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-30438-5_18
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-30438-5_18
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-30437-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-031-30438-5
eBook Packages: Literature, Cultural and Media StudiesLiterature, Cultural and Media Studies (R0)