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The Dream/Nightmare of Technology

Updated: Jan 11

The Impact of Technology on Mental Health, Especially in Animal Welfare 

I had the incredible opportunity to hear Brigid Schulte speak at a conference last month; she gave a superb talk on how to be a great leader while also having a life of her own. There were so many insights that truly resonated with me.  I highly recommend you check out her work at brigitschulte.com


While the whole session was valuable, Brigid’s conversation about technology triggered me to really consider the impact technology has on the quality of our work/life balance and frankly, our overall mental health. So, I decided to do some additional research on the subject. As you can imagine, technology can play both a positive and negative role in our workplace satisfaction. 


Some of the positive impacts of technology include greater access to information, increased productivity, improved communication, and enhanced flexibility. We talk about these benefits all the time for what they mean to the organization but haven’t linked that back to employee satisfaction and mental health. Our work is hard, and having quality tools and easy access to those tools can make our work easier and more fulfilling. 


And the negative impacts of technology on our mental health, information overload, blurred work-life boundaries, and frustration when technology underperforms or outright fails. The more technology we implement – even if for all the right reasons -can overwhelm employees. Plus, if the technology is limited and unreliable, the impact to employee’s mental health is materially impacted.  


When we layer in some of the unique aspects of animal welfare and the industry’s heightened awareness of mental health concerns, I think it is extra important for us to include this as a consideration of our technology policies and investments. While there is a ton of information out there on this topic, I wanted to provide some very specific suggestions that are relatively unique to animal welfare:


  1. Even if your organization is not a 24/7 operation, there are always animals in care. Designate one method of contacting each other in an urgent matter. I would highly recommend not using the same method as one used for daily activities so employees can truly disconnect from work on their off time. In my last role, we used cell phone text; we could either address the specific issue on the text or ask them to read an email or jump into a group chat. 


  2. Most of the applications we use in shelters today are web-based. How is your internet connection into the building and throughout the building? If applications are running slow, it can be your internet connection. I realize as non-profits, keeping costs down is important, but this comes at the expense of employees’ efficiency and mental health. Internet providers are changing their offerings all the time. If you haven’t relooked at internet options in a while, there can be more options for better service, possibly even at a lower cost. The other thing to think about is the Wi-Fi in your building.  Shelters have a lot of concrete block and steel that limit Wi-Fi signals. There are local companies that set up your network to make sure coverage is everywhere you need it.


  3. Computer equipment in a shelter environment is up against an extra set of environmental factors like humidity and pet dander. Add in all the other wild activity going on in the shelter and those computers will not age well. Using old, slow and/or damaged technology can truly drive employees mad. Like with the internet, I know organizations need to watch their expenses, but the price of this equipment has come down dramatically. I have seen desktop CPUs for $200 and laptops for $400. Because most of our work is web based, almost any new computer will meet most employees’ needs. 


  4. The last suggestion is going to be the most controversial and that is to hold your technology providers to account when they fall short of expectations. Now if this is Microsoft or Dell, it’s likely not possible but many of the most important software tools in animal welfare are owned by relatively small companies. As someone with this particular experience, client feedback is very impactful. I would also get that feedback to the highest level you can at that company. Even if it just filtered back down to a lower-level team member to reply, it will most likely trigger internal action, even if you never witness it. 


Technology’s impact on the mental health of shelter employees is complex. While it offers remarkable benefits that can enhance well-being and productivity, it also poses significant challenges that must be addressed. By recognizing these dual effects and implementing supportive measures, organizations can create a healthier, more balanced work environment that nurtures both productivity and mental health. Ultimately, the goal should be to leverage technology as a tool for empowerment rather than yet another source of stress.

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