Digging into “Zoom Fatigue”: A Qualitative Exploration of Remote Work Challenges and Virtual Meeting Stressors

Svea Luebstorf, Joseph A. Allen (), Emilee Eden, William S. Kramer, Roni Reiter-Palmon and Nale Lehmann-Willenbrock
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Svea Luebstorf: Department of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
Joseph A. Allen: Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
Emilee Eden: Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
William S. Kramer: Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska, Omaha, NE 68182, USA
Roni Reiter-Palmon: Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska, Omaha, NE 68182, USA
Nale Lehmann-Willenbrock: Department of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany

Merits, 2023, vol. 3, issue 1, 1-16

Abstract: Purpose: With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, employees suddenly had to work remotely and realize all work-related social interaction in virtual formats. The sudden shift to the virtual format came with new workplace stressors. To understand the stressors of remote work and videoconferences, we present two qualitative studies. The aim of this study is to better understand the stress associated with remote work and videoconferencing, with an emphasis on how workers cope with the added stress. Methodology: We applied thematic analysis to open-ended survey data from employees in the US ( n = 349) and in-depth telephone interviews of 50 meeting leaders from the US and Germany. Findings: We identified the work–home interface, technology, and communication issues as key challenges of remote work. Further, we found camera usage, early meeting phases, and multitasking to be central stressors of videoconferences. Finally, we identified individual- and team-level coping strategies to reduce the impacts of virtual meeting stressors on employees. Originality: Our research contributes to the emerging field studying the effects of virtual work and videoconferences on employees. We provide an overview of the challenges of remote work at the early stages of the pandemic, and we present an overview of the stressors that emerge in virtual meeting environments. We discuss insights into why videoconferences may fatigue employees. Including German and US samples, our research allows a cross-cultural comparison of videoconferencing stressors. Finally, we present actionable practical recommendations to improve videoconferences.

Keywords: remote work; videoconferences; virtual meetings; meeting management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J L M (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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