New research from Aalto University refutes the common notion that fatigue from virtual meetings is due to overwhelming demands, suggesting instead, it’s caused by a lack of stimulation leading to increased drowsiness (passive fatigue).
The study observed heart rate variability in virtual and face-to-face meetings among 44 knowledge workers across nearly 400 meetings. The team collaborated with the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and combined physiological methods with ethnographic research, tracking each subject’s activities for two workdays.
The research revealed that engaged and enthusiastic workers remained active during virtual meetings, while less motivated individuals found them tiring. Virtual meetings lack the cognitive cues and sensory input of in-person encounters, leading to multitasking when under-stimulated. However, multitasking during virtual meetings can be problematic, as only automated tasks, like walking, can be effectively done concurrently. Focusing on multiple cognitive tasks can be taxing and cause participants to miss important meeting details. This research highlights the mental energy and cognitive performance risks associated with increased virtual meetings.
Ref: Nurmi N, Satu Pakarinen. Virtual meeting fatigue: Exploring the impact of virtual meetings on cognitive performance and active versus passive fatigue. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology. Published online October 26, 2023. doi: https://doi.org/10.1037/ocp0000362