The “emergence of powerful technologies […] can lead to an irreversible situation where machines win the race and humans lose control” (Andersen et al., 2020, p. 8).

New technologies and, most of all, communication technologies have always changed the way public administration works. In particular, digital technologies have had a huge impact on processes of the public sector (Gil-Garcia et al., 2018). But, the actual effects of digitization are ambiguous (Plesner et al., 2018). Additionally, research focused mainly on citizens and empirical findings on the negative side effects of digitization on employees remain scarce (Fischer et al., 2021). This paper seeks to understand the “clinical-pathological” manifestation of digitization and ICT-usage at work through technostress. Through the lens of appraisal-theory, this paper tries to analyze possible interaction effects between formalization, red tape and technostress. Bozeman and Scott (1996) assigned formalization to an organization’s physiology and red tape to its pathology. I contribute to the discussion on digital transformation and digitization by drawing the attention to their negative effects. Bauwens and Meyfroodt (2021) argue that counterintuitive, but plausible themes in this research area have been neglected so far. Especially the notion whether a stronger bureaucratic structure not only has an effect on the implementation of digital tools, but also influences the effects of a digitized organization has not finally been answered.

Hence, this paper will answer the following research question:

To what extent does ICT-usage evoke technostress and how do red tape and formalization interact with this effect?

To address this question, I conduct an online-survey with German public employees. The cross-sectional data will be analyzed with structural equation modeling. Participants were recruited through an online-panel. The sample consists of employees working on different administrative levels as well as in different organizational types and fields. I assume that the higher the use of ICT and digital work tools, the higher the technostress (Camarena & Fusi, 2022). Meanwhile red tape and different levels of formalization interact with this relationship. The questionnaire controls for technology acceptance and individual characteristics as well as resources.

Technostress refers to the effects of information systems, digital technology and digitization due to, e.g., techno-overload and complexity (Ragu-Nathan et al., 2008). Whereas red tape represents “rules, regulations and procedures […] that entail a compliance burden” (Bozeman, 1993, p. 293). Both “stressors” evoke a “threat” and reaction following an appraisal of resources influenced by believes, values and experience (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984). Hence, Salanova et al. (2013) find that barriers and obstacles in ICT usage increase technostress among workers. In this context the situational factors red tape and formalization in an organization potentially moderates the effect of digitization on technostress.

I expect higher technostress for employees in organizations with high levels of red tape whereas higher levels of formalization reduce the effect of ICT-usage on technostress providing a secure environment. Therefore, this paper can contribute to the discussion on digitization as a (in this case failing) “therapy” and solution for inefficiency and a better workplace in public administration.

During the Covid-19 pandemic municipal political and administrative leaders turned to the use of digital recourses, such as digital meeting tools and digital operational systems to cope with their daily work. At record speed, they adopted technologies on a scale reminiscent of Castells. The interaction between information technology, social movements and organizations has formed the foundation of a "network society” organized as a "space of flows". The latter refers to the technical and organizational possibilities in practicing interaction in real time without the limitations of physical space (Castells 2004:36). Moreover, using digital resources could facilitate duties that municipal leaders face, such as making decisions and keep actors accountable, as shown in earlier research (Garcia, 2022; Wihlborg et.al. 2022).

The overall aim is to study how digitalization was used and interpretated during the crisis responses among political and administrative leaders in municipalities in the Nordic countries, and what was the lasting consequences? The data is based on a survey within the collaborative POLYGOV-project (https://www.polygov.org), studying the pandemic crisis management, organization and functioning of local democracies in all the Nordic countries. The data consists of responses relating to digital resources from mayors, municipal CEOs, and sector managers (n= 2540). Additional background data and related case studies are used to illustrate and explain the country-specific situations (structural municipal data, institutional data, and demographic data). The discussed findings suggests that, overall, mayors are the most satisfied with the use of digital resources while the sector managers are the least satisfied, but still with an ambition to become more of a change manager for digital transformation. We elaborate on explanations of the outcome from an institutional and network governance approaches on how they integrate digital transformation in the municipalities as part of a modern network society. A key finding of this paper is that the municipal leaders’ responses to the Covid-19 pandemic promoted a leap in the digital transformation in their organisations. Thus, the paper contributes empirically to understanding how digital systems were used to re-invent and sustain democratic governed municipal services in times of crises and elaborate its (lasting) effects.