Page 26 - EngineerIT April May Issue 2026

WORKFLOW TRENDS

“Always On”: 83% of employees

stay connected to work during

time off, fuelling digital anxiety

By Justin Render

The pressure to remain constantly available is contributing to heightened
stress levels in the workplace.

new Kaspersky survey undertaken during their time off, and 81% admit they are responding to work emails
in the Middle East, Turkiye and while on vacation or in their personal time.
f
r
A ica (META) region reveals that
A
digital anxiety is becoming a defining The pressure to remain constantly available is contributing to heightened
feature of modern work culture, as stress levels in the workplace. Other sources of stress include work
employees don’t disconnect even during issues, for example, 43% experience anxiety after accidentally sending a
their free time and vacations. random message to a work chat. Interestingly, not all digital mishaps are
perceived equally: 40% report that they take it calmly when they send
According to the findings, 83% of an unfinished email, proving that some mistakes are considered less
respondents keep an eye on work tasks damaging than others.
outside working hours. An overwhelming
85% reply to all work-related messages Blurred boundaries between professional and personal life, combined
in instant messaging apps, while the with instant communication tools, are intensifying feelings of constant
same share (85%) check work emails monitoring and fear of making digital errors. More than a third (36%) of

26 | EngineerIT April/ May 2026
26 | EngineerIT April/May 2026