Work performed remotely, i.e. using electronic means of communication, will most likely be a permanent element of the work environment, sanctioned by legal provisions, and not only during the epidemiological state and epidemic. The main tool due to the dimensions and functions offered is a smartphone.

In the first quarter of 2021 alone, 340 million smartphones were sold worldwide. It is estimated that 3.2 billion users use 3.6 billion smartphones worldwide. A typical user touched his device an average of 2617 times a day, but the so-called extreme users, who make up 10% of all phone users, touched them more than 5400 times a day. The same study also found that smartphone users give them an average of more than two and a half hours of attention per day (this is the total, average, time in which they look at the phone screen), and extreme users – nearly four hours. According to a report by Ben Bajarin from Apple, on average, we unlock our phone as many as 80 times a day. In extreme cases, it is as many as 130 screen unlocks. This means that we grab our phone on average every 10 minutes during the day.

Research conducted recently by Whistle Out, some may spend almost 9 years of their lives using a smartphone. According to Eurostat, in 2019, a statistical Pole worked an average of 33.6 years during his life. In a large rounding, it can be assumed that 1/4 of professional work focuses on the smartphone.

CBOS in its report states that mobile phone users in addition to making calls (100%) send and receive SMS messages (78%). Nearly half (45%) browse the web, more than two-fifths (43%) check the weather forecast, a third (33%) send and receive e-mail, 29% of users operate a social media account and the same number (29%) use instant messaging. Less than a fifth (17%) do things online in this way, e.g. shopping, booking tickets, hotels. Every eleventh (9%) checks the level of air pollution using their phone. When it comes to multimedia functions, mobile phones are most often used to listen to music (30%) and – much less often – radio (11%). Every fifth user (19%) watches video materials on them, and seven out of a hundred (7%) – television. 17% of respondents from this group play games on the phone, slightly less (12%) declare reading books or other text files in this way. About one-sixth (17%) happen to edit photos or text files using their mobile phone. Roughly one in eight (12%) uses their phone to use loyalty programs and discounts in stores; few (5%) pay contactless.

You cannot pretend that digital screen tools (such as a smartphone, tablet, laptop, computer) are only a support or complement to traditionally understood means of work or entertainment. The Covid-19 pandemic has only accelerated this process.

As a reminder: „home office” – work performed at home mainly by means of electronic communication was not regulated in the Polish legal system. During the state of epidemic threat or state of epidemic, announced due to COVID-19, in order to counteract COVID-19, the employer may instruct the employee to perform, for a specified period of time, the work specified in the employment contract, outside the place of its permanent performance in the form of remote work.

After more than two years, we are richer in knowledge about the effects of using digital tools in everyday life.

Negative effects are primarily adverse effects on mental and physical health. First of all, on vision and the osteoarticular system. Because using them forces the wrong position of the body. Why? Because the screen and buttons are on the same plane, automatically many of us hold the phone at belly level and then lean our necks tightly to read the text on the screen. This is a harmful posture for our spine, which is exposed to bending and high stress for many hours – alarm researchers and doctors.

Dr. Kenneth Hansraj, a surgeon specializing in spine surgeries in the USA, introduced the concept of „text neck”, i.e. pain in the neck and other parts of the body, which occurs as a result of a huddled position in which users of smartphones, tablets or other electronic gadgets are for a long time.

Symptoms of „text neck”:

• Neck and neck pain
• Chronic headaches
• Tension and stiffness in the neck area
• Curvature of the spine
• Tingling or numbness of the hands and fingers
• Pain in the wrists and elbows.

Hence the prevention. Digital Wellbeing – this is a novelty from Android 9 Pie. According to Michał Brożyński, the main tasks of this functionality include monitoring how much time we spend with smartphones / tablets in our hands. The system keeps statistics and possibly introduces restrictions for the purpose of (self-)control, i.e. we use it for a long time.

Digital hygiene is a set of activities and activities aimed at optimizing individual somatic, mental and social health in the use of information and communication technologies. Its level depends on self-regulation and control related to the use of the Internet and digital screen tools, an alternative to the digital world, as well as a developed network of social support. Digital hygiene can be understood as a life attitude resulting from the creative and responsible use of network resources.

Digital hygiene also applies to behaviors that are taken during online classes, especially in the area of concentration. 28% of the students surveyed declared that they used social networks very often or often during online classes, played games, browsed the Internet for private purposes or wrote to someone unrelated to the lessons. A similar percentage of students surveyed (28.2%) admitted that they very often or frequently used their smartphone during e-lessons for non-learning purposes. This type of behavior also occurred among teachers, but the percentage of such cases is small (7.6% and 5.8%, respectively).

Source: https://kadry.infor.pl/kadry/hrm/informatyzacja_hrm/5402705,Co-to-jest-higiena-cyfrowa.html

Projekt otrzymał dofinansowanie z Norwegii poprzez Fundusze Norweskie 2014-2021, w ramach programu „Dialog społeczny – godna praca”.