Dive Brief:

• An article at Huffington Post explores the idea that the American workplace is seriously dysfunctional, with workers "more stressed, sleep deprived, burnt out and disengaged than ever before."
• The article reels off some convincing data, citing that 83% of employees report being stressed over their work, half saying work-related stress is ruining their sleep, and 60% say they are checking in with work via mobile device when not at work.
• It's not all negativity. The article notes that American workers are hip to the damage their work is causing and, at the same time, employers are searching for solutions that can negate the stress of overwork – though there is a long road ahead for real change, the article reports.

Dive Insight:

The article cites two academic studies that may shed some light on how to de-stress the American workplace. One focused on the impact of a Results Only Work Environment, or ROWE, on the productivity and well-being of employees at Best Buy’s Minnesota corporate headquarters. ROWE participants had free reign on when, where and how they worked – all that mattered was getting the work done. After six months, the ROWE employees experienced reduced work-family conflict, improved sleep and a better sense of control of their time. Turnover also decreased. 

Another study of IT workers at a Fortune 500 employer discovered that people given more control over when and where they worked said they experienced significantly less work-family conflict over a six-month period and felt significantly less overwhelmed on the job. 

Phyllis Moen, a University of Minnesota sociologist, told HuffPo she's optimistic about technology's role in repairing worker well-being

“Technology can be a double-edged sword – it certainly increases workplace pressures, but it can also be a part of the solution,” she said. “It depends on whether we're focusing on the employer’s flexibility or the employee’s flexibility.”