Impacts of Information and Communication Technology on Professional and Personal Life and Employee Satisfaction

• Published in: Economic themes (De Gruyter Open) Vol. 61; no. 4; pp. 567 - 584
• Main Authors: Lebar, Romana, Veljković, Božidar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sciendo 01.12.2023
• Subjects: C83; employee satisfaction; employees; ICT impacts; information communication technology (ICT); information technology (IT); M15; O15; professional and personal life
• ISSN: 2217-3668; 2217-3668
• DOI: 10.2478/ethemes-2023-0029

Modern information and communication technology (ICT), as a complex system of tools and systems, affects the individual and society as a whole. Its presence and application are not limited to the professional environment but are woven into all aspects of an individual's everyday reality. The key research question of this study focuses on analyzing the impact of ICT on employees' work and personal life and on their overall levels of satisfaction. Both positive and negative experiences of ICT use, expectations that come with its use, the degree of dependence on ICT, and its role in interpersonal relationships are examined.The results of the study were obtained using an anonymous online questionnaire distributed between June 10th and 20th, 2023, to a random sample of employees who actively use ICT in their professional environment. It is found that the majority of employees have a positive attitude toward ICT because of its contribution to optimizing communication, supporting global processes, and enabling the acquisition and exchange of information in the context of professional and personal life. Negative effects have also been identified, such as increased pressure on work performance, reduced personal interaction, limited time for family life, blurring of boundaries between work and personal life, dependence on ICT, and disruption of work processes.The research contributes to an in-depth understanding of the impacts of ICT on the professional and private lives of employees. Awareness of the positive and negative aspects of ICT use is key to developing guidelines that promote the balanced use of technology and the creation of a supportive environment to improve productivity and the quality of interpersonal relationships.