Objective As the digitization of the working world progresses, the demands on employees change. Not least, this is true for the setting of public administrations in Germany, which is currently affected by the transformation to E-Government. This study aims to identify and describe a risk cluster of digitally stressed employees in public administrations. Methods An online sample of 710 employees from three public administrations in North Rhine-Westphalia were surveyed about digital stress (7 items) and several potential risk factors (19 items) derived from the current research. In the first step, a hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis is used to detect the risk cluster. This is followed by a comparison to the group of the remaining employees regarding their risk profiles. Results The analysis states that the digitally stressed cluster accounts for approximately ten percent of the public administration’s employees of the total sample. Employees in the risk cluster are less satisfied with on-site work overall, experience less collegial support on-site, experience less collegial support in the home office, resign more often, are more likely to feel overwhelmed, are less educated, are older in age and more often have relatives in need of care. Conclusion This work was able to identify and describe a group of digitally stressed rather than left-behind employees in public administrations to bring awareness to potentially destructive factors in the digital transformation process but eventually to social inequalities. The findings offer the basis for interventions to arise and evoke potential for further research.

Mindfulness has made its way into the business context. Simultaneously, several options for digitally encouraging mindfulness have been proposed in recent years, with opposing opinions questioning the compatibility of mindfulness and technology, claiming it is a paradox. This study aims to examine the compatibility of mindfulness and technology, i.e., how mindfulness and digitalization interact as compatible or incongruous phenomena in the digital working context. Semistructured interviews with 15 experts, all specializing in technology and mindfulness in the workplace, were conducted to generate hypotheses of digital mindfulness at work. Qualitative content analysis as well as content analysis via extraction were utilized in this study to explore mutual relationships. Information about workplace mindfulness, digitalization, technology and digital stress was synthesized. The themes “Mindful by Workplace-Design” (a) and “Working Mindfully in a Digital Cooperation” (b) resulted in suggested modifications for digital workplaces. The compatibility of the two phenomena escalated at the “Tipping Point” (c), reached beyond the use of mindfulness apps, i.e., when wearables are added. The results point out the limits of digital mindfulness, as well as opportunities for the cooperation of mindfulness and technology. For employers, the study provides guidance for shaping mindful digital workplaces and mindful work cultures.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic acts as a recent driver for telework on a global scale. While visual display unit (VDU) workplaces are usually subject to regulatory requirements or occupational health and safety controls, mobile workplaces may increase the risk of developing work-related musculoskeletal complaints (MSCs). OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the influence of work from home (WFH) on musculoskeletal complaints in the context of German municipal administrations. METHODS: This paper is based on an online survey conducted as part of the Health and Digital Change project in cooperation with three municipal administrations in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. A multivariate model was constructed to calculate the odds ratio for MSCs including various control variables. RESULTS: While bivariate analysis showed a 0.96-fold risk for employees who work from home, the multivariate model with a split between occasional (OR = 0.79) and frequent (OR = 1.59) WFH revealed a more complex effect. Both odds did not reach the significance level. However, the influence of being female (OR = 3.34) and being overweight (OR = 1.51) was confirmed. Regarding age the OR increases by 1.02 per year of life. Other control variables were the municipal affiliation, university entrance qualification, working hours and feeling overstrained. The regression model improved by 0.07 (McFadden R2) compared to the null model. CONCLUSION: Although WFH is discussed as a rising risk factor for MSCs, the findings in this study indicate, that occasional WFH acts as a rather protective factor against work related MSCs.

Background Against the background of e-government, it is discussed whether self-organization represents an independent component of digital leadership. Addressing this research question, the instrument "DigiFuehr" is being expanded to include the aspects of self-determination and coordination. The aim is to test the model quality of three adapted scales against the already established support-focusing version. Methods Based on an online survey of n = 422 employees at visual display unit workstations in German municipal administrations in April 2022, the original version of DigiFuehr as well as one reduced and two extended versions were validated considering their local and global model fit. Results All four scales show a good local fit with regard to internal consistency (Cronbach's α), discriminatory power and dimensionality. Only the scale extended by two items also offers a sufficient global fit and is thus most suitable as a predictor for psychological stress, work satisfaction and satisfaction with the professional exchange during homeworking. Conclusions With "DigiFuehr 2.0", an improved version of the original scale is available. Self-organization is not a component independent of the support dimension, but a further important indicator of a latent digital leadership culture. Neither should come at the expense of the other.

Objectives Against the background of e‐government, it is discussed whether self‐organization represents an independent component of digital leadership. Addressing this research question, the instrument “DigiFuehr” is being expanded to include the aspects of self‐determination and coordination. The aim is to test the model quality of three adapted scales against the already established support‐focusing version. Methods Based on an online survey of n = 422 employees at visual display unit workstations in German municipal administrations in April 2022, the original version of DigiFuehr as well as one reduced and two extended versions were validated considering their local and global model fit. Results All four scales show a good local fit with regard to internal consistency (Cronbach's α), discriminatory power, and dimensionality. Only the scale extended by two items also offers a sufficient global fit and is thus most suitable as a predictor for psychological stress, work satisfaction, and satisfaction with the professional exchange during homeworking. Conclusions With “DigiFuehr 2.0”, an improved version of the original scale is available. Self‐organization is not a component independent of the support dimension, but a further important indicator of a latent digital leadership culture. Neither should come at the expense of the other.