Title: Knowledge workers' daily experiences with technostress and presenteeism: an integrative literature review

Authors: Teresa Himes McGovern

Addresses: Georgetown, TX 78628, USA

Abstract: The purpose of this literature review was to explore research on knowledge workers' daily experiences with technostress and presenteeism. This study was framed by the concept of presenteeism developed by Lohaus and Habermann within their comprehensive presenteeism model, a decision-integrated model of presenteeism. Flexible working conditions, such as those experienced by ICT knowledge workers, place increased demands on employees, requiring self-regulation with the sole responsibility of goal attainment. These flexible working conditions may lead to a self-endangering strategy of working while ill (i.e., presenteeism), meeting self-imposed goals. The study's findings confirm that today's knowledge workers' working conditions are influenced by the distribution of daily work-related screen time, work setting conditions, and employers' work productivity expectations. Study participants report that the expectations placed on them by management to perform without appropriate resources or support leads to higher work stressors, leading to presenteeism.

Keywords: knowledge workers; presenteeism; technostress; constant connectivity; eustress; ICT; work-life conflict.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEWE.2026.153270

International Journal of Environment, Workplace and Employment, 2026 Vol.10 No.1, pp.21 - 39

Received: 03 Apr 2025
Accepted: 25 Jun 2025
Published online: 29 Apr 2026 *

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