From Digital Divide to Technostress during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review

Seberini Andrea (), Nour Magde Mohamed () and Tokovska Miroslava ()
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Seberini Andrea: Matej Bel University, Faculty of Economics, Department of Economics, Banska Bystrica, Slovakia
Nour Magde Mohamed: Kristiania University College, School of Health Sciences, Department of Health and Exercise, Oslo, Norway
Tokovska Miroslava: Kristiania University College, School of Health Sciences, Department of Health and Exercise, Oslo, Norway

Organizacija, 2022, vol. 55, issue 2, 98-111

Abstract: Background and purpose: This paper relates challenges faced by older adult employees during the COVID-19 crisis in order to describe strategies to reduce the digital divide and technostress, thereby supporting inclusion and retention in the marketplace. Older adults are particularly at risk of Internet-related social exclusion, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The main research question of the current scoping review were: What kind of strategies can reduce the digital divide and technostress of older adult employees and contribute to their inclusion and retention in the working market during the COVID-19 pandemic? Methodology: This review is based on the Arksey and O’Malley framework for scoping reviews. The six-stage framework includes: identifying research questions, identifying relevant studies, study selection, charting the data, summarizing and reporting the results, and a consultation exercise. A scoping review was conducted using five humanistic and social electronic databases - CINAHL with full text, EBSCO, Medline, SocIndex, Web of Science - and additionally hand-searches performed on Google Scholar. The search was limited to studies published from January 2020 to March 2021. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 10 articles were included. Results: This review shows that the most important strategies are: 1) ICT educational training courses; 2) social dialog; 3) building inclusive workplaces; 4) implementation of successful ‘aging in public’ policies. Our results are beneficial for individuals, organizations, industries and different societies by showing how concrete strategies can be implemented at multiple levels. Conclusion: The study has found that one of the most effective strategies to reduce the digital divide faced by older adult employees during the COVID-19 crisis and technostress is social dialog between employers and employees, which can be a source of innovative and creative solutions (e.g. partnership programs or tailored support). Social dialog should include active cooperation with older adult workers - asking what they need and want - to enable skills development through training.

Keywords: COVID-19; Digital divide; Older adult; Employees; Technostress (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:vrs:organi:v:55:y:2022:i:2:p:98-111:n:2

DOI: 10.2478/orga-2022-0007

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