Psychosocial Demands and the Acceptance of Mental Health Risk Monitoring Systems at Work

Abstract

High levels of mental workload can precipitate an inability to cope with job demands, increase the risk of serious mental and physical health issues, as well as contribute towards long-term sick leave, or early retirement. Monitoring health risk factors using psychophysiological measurement methods can raise individuals’ awareness of changes in their vital signs and optimal individual workload range. However, the perceived usefulness and the resulting acceptance is imperative for the implementation of such technologies at the workplace. Hence, a study was conducted that aimed at providing insight into how psychosocial demands at work affect the perceived usefulness of mental health risk monitoring systems and how this influences the behavioral intention to actually use such systems. For this purpose, an online survey was conducted with N=493 office workers. Results indicate that a direct positive relationship between quantitative demands and perceived usefulness of health monitoring technologies, as well as an indirect positive relationship with behavioral intention exits. The results can help to understand the factors influencing the acceptance of technologies for monitoring occupational health risks, thus facilitating the use of technologies for health promotion at the workplace.