Technostress in the ivory tower: a digital burden or a manageable challenge for senior academics

Technological changes are inevitable and often occur at a rapid pace, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. Arising technostress, particularly within the academic environment, may be especially challenging for older employees who might find it more difficult to adapt to new digital demands. This study seeks to investigate senior academics’ awareness of technostress and examine its impact on their academic work and work-life balance. Additionally, it explores their coping strategies and the level of available institutional support. The study involved semi-structured interviews with 15 senior academics aged 55+ from Poland, the Czech Republic, and Ukraine. Data was collected between November and December 2024, and analyzed using a coding procedure and content analysis with the assistance of NVivo software. The study found that senior academics negatively perceive technostress and experience anxiety concerning technological changes. Despite the moderate to high digital skills self-rating, the transition to online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic was initially stressful, emotionally draining, and severely impacted work-life balance. However, respondents employed various coping strategies, including self-motivation, positive thinking, and screen time limitation. The findings highlight the ongoing challenge of technostress for senior academics and the need to implement comprehensive support systems tailored to individual needs in academia.