Islamabad: A new Kaspersky survey undertaken in the Middle East, Turkiye and Africa (META) region reveals that digital anxiety is becoming a defining feature of modern work culture, as employees don’t disconnect even during their free time and vacations.
According to the findings, 83% of respondents keep an eye on work tasks outside working hours. An overwhelming 85% reply to all work-related messages in instant messaging apps, while the same share (85%) check work emails during their time off – and 81% admit they are responding to work emails while on vacation or in their personal time.
The pressure to remain constantly available is contributing to heightened stress levels in the workplace. Other sources of stress include work issues, for example 43% experience anxiety after accidentally sending a random message to a work chat. Interestingly, not all digital mishaps are perceived equally: 40% report that they take it calmly when they send an unfinished email, proving that some mistakes are considered less damaging than others.
More than a third (36%) of respondents say they feel extremely uncomfortable or even scared if their boss notices them scrolling through social media at work instead of working.
“Digital anxiety doesn’t just affect employee well-being – it can also increase cybersecurity risks for organizations. When people feel constant pressure to respond immediately to messages and emails, they are more likely to act impulsively, without carefully verifying links, attachments, or sender identities. This urgency can make employees more vulnerable to phishing, and other scams using social engineering techniques,” comments Brandon Muller, Technical Expert at Kaspersky.
According to seasoned cybersecurity strategist and trainer Muhammad Asad Ul Rehman, “Kaspersky’s latest findings reflect a reality we are increasingly witnessing in Pakistan also. In countries like ours, where digital adoption is accelerating rapidly, these trends should serve as a clear wake-up call. Cybersecurity can no longer be treated as an afterthought—it demands continuous investment at both the organizational and individual levels. He further emphasized that digital anxiety is not just a workplace challenge but a growing national concern, as constant connectivity can lead to poor decision-making and increased exposure to cyber threats.
Kaspersky recommends employees to slow down before clicking or replying. Treat urgency as a red flag because cybercriminals often exploit pressure and fear. Always verify unexpected or urgent requests before responding. Use technologies that will help reduce risks. For example, Kaspersky Premium offers AI-powered anti phishing features designed to help warn of potential threats.
Businesses can reduce cybersecurity risks related to employees’ digital anxiety by providing regular cybersecurity training and organizations should use robust cybersecurity solutions to minimize the impact of human error. Kaspersky Next’s adaptable and robust cloud-native protection, underpinned by an unequalled cybersecurity track record, is one of such products. Protection solutions for mail servers, such as Kaspersky Security for Mail Server, with anti-phishing capabilities, help to additionally decrease the chance of infection through a phishing email.
