Librarians Managing Technostress

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Introduction

Definitions

Symptoms:

Management Strategies:

General 

Individual 

Organizational 

Computer Industry

Conclusions

References

ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGIES

“Because resistance to change is a natural reaction, all of us experience anxiety and frustration at some point… But these reactions should be temporary, especially if our organizations have support mechanisms in place to help us manage our technostress” (Clark & Kalin, para. 9).

The key organizational approaches to helping librarians manage technostress involve training, communications, and physical workspace.

Training

"Training is critical for successfully handling the stress brought on by technological change ... Training helps relieve technostress by reducing anxiety" (Clark & Kalin, para. 17). 

As noted earlier in the Shepherd study, the level of technostress experienced by all of over 400 subjects in a study on technostress decreased as their levels of computer skills increased (p. 228).

But there are other aspects of training to be considered.  For example, training must be timed so that it occurs when librarians need it, not months before new hardware or software arrives.  It should be introduced at a pace to allow people time to master one new technology before another is added (Bartlett, 1995, p. 228).  It must also be on-going, structured to support librarians as they delve deeper into the new technology.  

It is also critical that the organization allow staff adequate time for training, and not add training to an already busy workload while expecting other productivity to remain equal.  In essence, "training must become an integral part of their work life, not an adjunct activity” (Clark & Kalin, para. 21).  This assumes that there will be sufficient number of staff available to perform all necessary services without feeling overwhelmed (Bartlett, 1995, p. 228).

Training must also recognize that men and women learn technological skills differently (Clark & Kalin, para 16), and be varied in presentation in order to involve staff as much as possible.  One suggestion in this regard from Huwe is "technology oriented poeple – the sort that spend their weekends blogging, podcasting, and gaming – could offer mentoring or lunchtime meetings that demystify new technology.  Managers could endorse such a move … and try to find funds to support the informal effort …” (para. 13).

It is also important that the organization ensures there is adequate and timely technical support available once the technology goes "live".

Communications

The organization needs to involve all affected staff in the plans for new technology.  This will help staff members develop a more positive attitude toward the change without feeling threatened or anxious (Bartlett, p. 228). 

Clark and Kalin add: “In a changing environment, the conundrum is not that we have less information than we need, but more information that we can use.  Filtering information as well as keeping the lines of communication open is critical to helping ourselves and our staff deal with change, resistance, and stress” (para. 14).

Physcial Workspace

The importance of good ergonomics in workspace design( for more information on ergonomics, click here: ) and a pleasant physical work environment is critical to librarians' sense of security, job satisfaction, and, increasingly, their health (Clark & Kalin, para. 26). 

Well-planned physical workspaces combined with adequate variations in activities and stretching exercises will also help alleviate some of the physical symptoms of technostress.