Industrial physician and Certified Ergonomist Dr. Manjeet Singh Arora, Consultant in General Medicine at Fortis Hospitals and National First-Aid/CPR Trainer, presents holistic solutions to navigate burnout and reclaim well-being in an always-on world

Over the past five years, there has been a paradigm shift in how people work and where they work from. The accelerated move toward remote and hybrid work models has fundamentally redefined the concept of the workplace. No longer confined to a physical office or a designated desk occupied during standard hours, the workplace today exists wherever connectivity is possible. This always-on, instant-access environment has effectively blurred the lines between the traditional office and the space where work gets done.

The Rise of the Digital Workplace

Dispersed workforces, rapid developments in internet-enabled devices, and the changing needs of the modern workforce are the primary reasons workplaces are becoming digital. And as workplaces become more digital, employees communicate and collaborate in unprecedented ways. In order to reflect their staff’s changing work ways, leading organizations are starting to implement a new working environment called the digital workplace.

Mental and Physical Impacts of Digital Work

The rise of digital workplaces, while offering increased flexibility and connectivity, can also take a toll on employees' mental and physical well-being. Constant connectivity, digital overload, and the pressure to be "always on" can lead to work-related stress, anxiety, and even burnout. This, in turn, can have negative impacts on physical health, such as sleep disturbances, eye strain, and musculoskeletal pain etc.

On the emotional front, the constant exposure to digital tools and platforms can lead to Digital Burnout, Technostress (FOMO-Fear of Missing Out), Loss of Interpersonal Skills, Reduced Autonomy and Work-Life Imbalance.

The physical implications are no less significant. Prolonged exposure to screens often results in eye strain and frequent headaches. Irregular work schedules and an inability to disconnect can disrupt sleep patterns, leading to chronic sleep disturbances. Inadequate ergonomic setups—especially in home workspaces—can trigger musculoskeletal problems such as back pain, neck stiffness, and repetitive strain injuries. Over time, the cumulative effect of these issues manifests as digital fatigue, a state of both physical and cognitive exhaustion caused by sustained interaction with digital devices.

Addressing the Challenges

To mitigate the negative impact of digital workplaces, progressive organizations can lead by example and implement strategies like:

• "Right to Disconnect" Policy
• Mental Health Training for Managers
• Digital Wellness Initiatives
• Promoting Human Interaction
• Ensuring Ergonomic Workspaces

Leadership, Burnout, and the well-being Imperative

Leaders often face the challenging task of balancing their own well-being with the need to boost team morale and ensure the team's success. This dual pressure can lead to burnout if not managed effectively. Burnout, languishing, hopelessness, and quiet quitting have been highlighted, depending on where you look. It’s as if we’ve all agreed that we’re dealing with a collectively checked-out workforce.

What’s driving all the negativity?

Some have described it as employees feeling a constant crisis. There’s also confusion about the value of all the flexibility created since the pandemic. Some employees, while still appreciating flex time and work-from-home options, still worry about a lack of connection to their team and leaders.

The good news is that many organizations are working hard to reverse the trends – often with an increased focus on employee well-being. Many leaders are beginning to recognize that for employees to thrive again, they need to feel heard and supported by managers who are empathetic and invested in their success.

well-being as a Culture, Not a Perk

Employee well-being is the state of being happy and healthy at work, characterized by emotional and physical wellness, a feeling of belonging and acceptance, and a sense of fulfilment with the work you do and the culture you’re a part of.

This general description of well-being starts with Webster’s dictionary definition: "the state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy.” When that sense of well-being is applied to the workplace, employees are naturally motivated and proud to be part of their organization.

When employees aren’t happy and healthy at work, there are obvious negative impacts on employees and the business. Among the top impacts are disengagement, high turnover, and lower productivity. It also generally means that the organization’s leadership is committed to emotional and physical wellness and makes an ongoing effort to hear and support employees' needs. Workplace well-being doesn’t just happen – it’s the result of an organization’s overall culture – one in which employees feel genuinely supported, fairly compensated, and comfortable being themselves at work.

Leading with Empathy and Purpose

Author David Grossman mentions Heart First leadership which he describes as the practice of leading with empathy, humanity, and authenticity. According to him, nothing meaningful gets accomplished without genuine relationships, trust, and support from an engaged team. Leaders who adopt Heart First principles build stronger, more trusting connections and create purpose-driven workplaces.

After all, employee well-being doesn’t come without genuine effort from leaders, and that work has to involve the leader developing a relationship of trust and respect with their teams.

The Role of Belonging and Better Management

well-being is tied to a sense of belonging for employees. Like everything in the workplace, strong leadership greatly impacts overall employee wellness. Gallup’s Global Workforce Report made this point forcefully, noting that poor management “leads to lost customers and lost profits, but it also leads to miserable lives.”

Gallup reported that nearly 6 in 10 employees quietly quit but would likely become more engaged with workplace changes. He advises that the best step is to give those employees a better manager who’s well-trained in supporting employee well-being. When employees see that their leaders genuinely care about them, they feel invited to be their best selves and bring a greater sense of purpose and meaning to their teams. Employees then feel more inspired to achieve more for themselves and their organizations.

Preventive and Practical Frameworks for Healthier Leadership

Preventive frameworks for healthier leadership and strategic roles focus on proactive strategies to maintain well-being and effectiveness in demanding positions. These frameworks aim to prevent burnout, improve resilience, and enhance leadership quality by addressing potential stress points before they escalate. Practical frameworks incorporate elements like setting boundaries, prioritizing self-care, and developing strong support networks.

Preventive Approach:

• Self-Awareness and Reflection
• Boundary Setting
• Stress Management Techniques
• Support Networks
• Time Management
• Prioritization and Goal Setting
• Seeking Professional Help

Practical Approach:

• Regular check-ins with team members
• Creating a safe and supportive workplace environment
• Promoting work-life balance: Implementing flexible work arrangements
• Providing resources for employee assistance programs (EAPs)
• Investing in leadership development programs

By implementing these preventive and practical frameworks, leaders and strategic role holders can foster a healthier and more sustainable work environment, leading to improved individual well-being and organizational effectiveness.

Digital Wellness: A Work-in-Progress

In this digital age, where working from home is becoming more common, the patterns of workplace health are changing in ways that require a thorough analysis of the effects on employee health. This study looks into the many parts of job health in places where people work from home, looking at how technology, human behaviour, and company rules interact. The digital age has made work plans more flexible than ever before, letting workers do their jobs from anywhere. This paradigm shift has some benefits, like making things more flexible and easier to access, but it also brings a lot of problems that need to be carefully thought through. Long-term use of digital devices can be bad for your body, and being alone at work can be bad for your mental health.

Technology and Occupational Health: A Summary

The integration of technology in the workplace has undoubtedly revolutionized the nature of work, introducing both benefits and challenges to occupational health. From ergonomic considerations to psychological factors, the technological impact on occupational health is multifaceted. The below table explains in a nutshell:

Takeaways for the Digitally Fatigued

• Social media causes us to compare ourselves to unrealistic expectations
• Spending a lot of time looking at other people’s content can trigger envy, loneliness and a sense of exclusion
• We have to constantly worry about maintaining a ‘cool’ and well-liked online persona
• Shutting off non-essential notifications
• Putting our phones away for social interaction and focus
• Not comparing our own lives with somebody else’s highlight reel
• Focussing on one thing at a time
• And, unplugging from digital media for a set time every day (may be before bed)

“Every individual has an occupation, every occupation has an occupational hazard, no occupational hazard is treatable however, all occupational hazards are ‘PREVENTABLE”