The role of workplace digitalization on employees burnout, work engagement and job meaningfulness in Finland

Abstract

The current study explored the role of workplace digitalisation on employee burnout, work engagement, and job meaningfulness in Finland. The participants included in the study consisted of 1261 males and females with an age range of 18-64 years working in different organisations in Finland. The data included in the study were taken from the Finnish Working Life Barometer (2023). The variables included were: the use of digital tools, the burnout scale, work engagement, and work meaningfulness. Bivariate statistics revealed that the overall use of digital tools had a non-significant relationship with burnout and job meaningfulness. For work engagement, a statistically significant positive correlation between total use of digital tools and work engagement was found. Group comparisons revealed that employees who use social media and those who do not use social media have non-significant mean differences in burnout. Similarly, employees who collaborate virtually and those who do not collaborate virtually have non-significant differences in burnout and job meaningfulness. Furthermore, there is a statistically significant mean difference between social media users with work engagement and job meaningfulness. There is also a significant difference between virtual collaboration and work engagement. Structural equation modelling confirmed that the use of digital tools does not significantly predict burnout, work engagement or job meaningfulness. Demographic variables, including the employment status (part-time/full-time), positively predicted burnout and negatively influenced work engagement and job meaningfulness. Gender had a significant effect on work engagement and job meaningfulness. Structural equation modelling (SEM) also revealed that older people considered their job more meaningful compared to younger people. Overall, it shows that digitalisation itself does not directly affect employees’ wellbeing but the context it is used in plays a significant role. These insights contribute to helping organisations and HR professionals design their workplaces to support the well-being of employees and the use of digital tools in a way that helps to increase clarity, independence, and efficiency and not lead to exhausting cognitive processes.