A1 Journal article (refereed)
Coping with Technostress in the Software Industry : Coping Strategies and Factors Underlying their Selection (2025)


Siitonen, V., Ritonummi, S., Salo, M., Pirkkalainen, H., & Mauno, S. (2025). Coping with Technostress in the Software Industry : Coping Strategies and Factors Underlying their Selection. Journal of Systems and Software, In Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jss.2025.112341


JYU authors or editors


Publication details

All authors or editorsSiitonen, Valtteri; Ritonummi, Saima; Salo, Markus; Pirkkalainen, Henri; Mauno, Saija

Journal or seriesJournal of Systems and Software

ISSN0164-1212

eISSN1873-1228

Publication year2025

VolumeIn Press

PublisherElsevier

Publication countryUnited States

Publication languageEnglish

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.jss.2025.112341

Publication open accessOpenly available

Publication channel open accessPartially open access channel


Abstract

Background
Software industry employees are subject to the harmful effects of technostress, which is caused by information technology use.
Aim
The aim of the current study is to understand how software industry employees cope with technostress and how their employers can best support these coping efforts.
Method
We employed the critical incident technique using a qualitative approach and collected our data through a questionnaire. In total, we collected and analyzed 715 real-life accounts of coping with critical technostress incidents from employees working in the industry.
Results
We identified 27 strategies for coping with technostress and provided a comprehensive categorization of them. Additionally, we uncovered novel coping strategies and highlighted the contextual (organizational and personal) factors that influence the selection of coping strategies.
Conclusions
Our findings help in explaining the reasons and motives for up-taking specific coping strategies in the software industry. Based on our findings, employees invest considerable effort into coping with technostress, but do not receive enough support for their coping efforts. We offer insightful suggestions for support mechanisms that could be used by software organizations to enhance employees’ coping efforts and well-being.


Keywordstechnostresscopingsoftware industrysoftware developmentsoftware engineering

Free keywordstechnostress; coping; coping strategy; software industry; software development; software engineering


Contributing organizations


Related projects


Ministry reportingYes

VIRTA submission year2025

Preliminary JUFO rating3


Last updated on 2025-25-01 at 20:05