Information overload by digital media at the workplace: Systematic review of qualitative studies

Background: The phenomenon of information overload, first described by Toffler in 1970, has become more relevant due to increased digitization in work and private life. This paper focuses on the question of which factors in the professional context contribute to the experience of information overload through digital media, and the consequences for employees’ health, work and performance. Material and methods: A literature search was conducted using the databases EBSCOhost, PubMed and Web of Science. All 2535 hits were screened (title, abstract and full text) and a total of 34 studies (in 33 publications) remained for data extraction (16 quantitative, 18 qualitative studies). The present article summarizes the results of the qualitative studies. Results: The majority of studies focused on the phenomenon of information overload, especially due to e‑mail communication. Not only the quantity, but also the quality of information, as well as the amount of resulting tasks, are of importance for the experience of information overload. Knowledge of e‑mail tools, and information management skills also play an important role. The respondents reported working overtime and work-family conflicts due to information overload, distress, health concerns as well as memory and concentration impairments and poorer decision-making. Conclusion: The results are based on cross-sectional studies giving recommendations to deal with information overload. Further studies, using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, should pursue intervention and evaluation. In addition, the inclusion of other digital sources of information beyond e‑mail (e.g. chats, messenger) in future research is recommended. © 2018, Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH, ein Teil von Springer Nature.