This worrying reality is now taking shape with disturbing precision. A study, conducted by Verbateam in partnership with the Viavoice Institute with 1000 French employees, reveals the extent of a modern evil that affects all professional categories. The results paint the portrait of a society where hyperconnection stands out as evidence, at the cost of heavy consequences on the daily life of employees.
The figures speak for themselves. Almost 65% of French employees questioned say they are dependent on screens today, a proportion that climbs to 79% among those whose professional activity requires a computer. This dependence particularly affects those under 35 (71%), showing that the youngest are more affected by this phenomenon.
An addiction that does not say its name
This modern addiction is not limited to office hours. More than six out of ten active ingredients admit to feeling a “screen need” even during their rest time, transforming each moment of respite into a new connection opportunity. “”I am stressed when I don’t have my phone with me“Confides a respondent.”I am very attached to my phone and when for example I forget it or I have no more battery I have a feeling of panic that sets“, Testifies another.
This dependence worsens over time. Almost 59% of those questioned believe that it has accentuated in recent years, revealing a disturbing spiral. Two -thirds of employees now use screens more by automation than by real pleasure, and 63% admit that they have trouble setting limits.
This lack of limits is paid at a high price. Three -quarters of French employees have already felt negative consequences linked to their use of digital technology, affecting all aspects of their existence. On the physical level, eye fatigue strikes 84%of respondents, followed by sleep disorders (76%) and concentration difficulties (77%). Mental health is not spared: 78% feel a feeling of constant pressure, while 71% experience stress and anxiety in the face of incessant digital solicitations.
The damage also extends to the private sphere. More than 83% of employees recognize that screens limit their sporting activity, reading or rest. Even more worrying, 42% believe they reduce their social interactions, favoring virtual exchanges to real encounters.
Train companies
To try to regain control, employees are increasing personal initiatives. At work, they favor paper materials (65%), deactivate notifications (64%) or activate the “do not disturb” mode (56%). But these actions remain isolated and insufficient in the face of the extent of the phenomenon.
This is why employees are waiting for a framework for their companies. Three -quarters of employees require supervision of digital requests outside the working hours, and 74% want the right to disconnect to be respected by their hierarchy. Legitimate claims that come up against a disappointing reality. Indeed, only 35% of respondents claim that their business acts concretely, and barely 16% are certain. This discrepancy reflects a major structural delay while two thirds of employees already live a form of digital dependence.
Hyperconnection is thus established as an emerging stake in occupational health which requires a coordinated approach. “”Employees already suffer the consequences, but they cannot carry its weight alone. Companies must now go from a shared observation to a structured action“Explains Flore Serré, Director General of Verbateam, in a press release.
The solution cannot be based solely on individuals or managers. Companies must go to the offensive, by prohibiting, for example, sending emails after 7 p.m., automatically cutting the notifications in the evening, forming the management teams. Concrete measures that require a real change in corporate culture. “”Faced with the complexity of the subject and the magnitude of the cultural transformations it implies, companies cannot be left alone“, Estem Flore tight.” The supervision of hyperconnection cannot be summed up in simple injunctions: it requires constructed, progressive and shared approaches – at the height of a major collective issue “.
The hyperconnection silently redraws the world of work. Employees already pay the price, companies are slow to react. But this collective awareness could well mark a turning point towards a digital more respectful of humans.