A recent study from the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz challenges the widely held belief of “Zoom fatigue” suggesting online meetings may not be more draining than in-person gatherings. The research, published in the “Journal of Occupational Health Psychology”, contradicts the theory that virtual meetings inherently lead to exhaustion.
Junior Professor Hadar Nesher Shoshan, lead researcher on the project, emphasized that the study was conducted under current working conditions and that findings from the height of the COVID-19 pandemic may no longer be applicable. The context of heightened stress and disruption during the pandemic likely contributed to perceptions of fatigue that were attributed to online interactions.
The study involved 125 participants meticulously documenting their experiences across a ten-day period, encompassing a total of 945 meetings. Results indicated that shorter online meetings – specifically those lasting less than 44 minutes – were, in some cases, perceived as less tiring than in-person alternatives. Researchers hypothesize that the fatigue observed during the pandemic was likely linked to broader societal stressors rather than the format of the meetings themselves.
According to Professor Nesher Shoshan, the findings have significant implications for the future of work, potentially undermining the argument that remote employees are at increased risk of burnout due to excessive online meetings. The research offers a nuanced perspective on virtual collaboration and its impact on employee well-being.
