E-mail in the workplace: The role of stress appraisals and normative response pressure in the relationship between e-mail stressors and employee strain.

Brown, Rowena; Duck, Julie; Jimmieson, Nerina

doi:10.1037/a0037464

Cited by 131Technostress in Professional SettingsStress and Burnout ResearchPersonal Information Management and User Behavior

E-mail in the workplace: The role of stress appraisals and normative response pressure in the relationship between e-mail stressors and employee strain.

Brown, Rowena, Duck, Julie, Jimmieson, Nerina·2014·International Journal of Stress Management

DOI 10.1037/a0037464

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Abstract

In many organizations, e-mail is an effective and dominant workplace application tool; however, research identifying its role as a potential workplace stressor remains limited. Utilizing the Transactional Model of Stress (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984), 215 full-time administrative and academic staff at a university were surveyed about workplace e-mail. The aim was to study the effects of potential e-mail stressors on emotional exhaustion as mediated and moderated by person and situation variables. Results indicated that 2 distinct e-mail stressors—high quantity and poor quality (in terms of high emotionality and ambiguity) of workplace e-mail—were associated both with stress appraisals (e-mail overload and e-mail uncertainty) and with emotional exhaustion. Furthermore, the effects of the 2 e-mail stressors on emotional exhaustion were mediated by appraised e-mail overload. Perceived normative response pressure—a relevant aspect of the specific work environment—added to the explanation of emotional exhaustion and accentuated the positive effect of e-mail ambiguity on emotional exhaustion, although effects involving normative response pressure were not explained by the stress appraisals.

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In the context of digitalization, employees are facing demands that can entail stress-related risks for the health of employees who work with digital technologies.
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Email batching only seems to be effective if organizational norms do not dictate fast response time.
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EMAIL COMMUNICATION IN THE WORKPLACE: INVESTIGATING THE IMPACT OF EMAIL STRESSORS, NORMATIVE RESPONSE PRESSURE, AND STRESS APPRAISALS ON EMPLOYEE ADJUSTMENT OUTCOMES
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Authors: Brown, R., Duck, J., & Jimmieson, N.
ORCID: Jimmieson, Nerina
Venue: International Journal of Stress Management
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Published: 2014-11
Volume: 21
Issue: 4
Pages: 325-347
ISSN: 1072-5245 (ISSN-L)
1573-3424
DOI: 10.1037/a0037464
OpenAlex: W45343279
Cited by: 131
References: 0
Citations by year: 2026: 6 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 27 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 1
FWCI: 3.92
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Locations: International Journal of Stress Management (publishedVersion)
QUT Business School
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Technostress in Professional Settings
Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Stress and Burnout Research
Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Information Systems and Management › Personal Information Management and User Behavior
Keywords: emotional exhaustion, stress appraisal, transactional model of stress and coping, employee strain, university employees

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E-mail in the workplace: The role of stress appraisals and normative response pressure in the relationship between e-mail stressors and employee strain.

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