Technostress

The abrupt transition to remote and hybrid work has fundamentally changed the boundaries of work-life in highly tech-based sectors such as Information Technology (IT). While remote work is marketed to be a flexible and empowering solution for women, the recent research indicates that there are complex and gendered impacts of remote work on women professionals. The review examines the latest literature (2023-2025) to understand the question of work-life integration of women in the IT sector in the transition to remote work. Based on the theoretical frameworks such as the Boundary Theory, the Conservation of Resources (COR) Theory and the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, the review identifies five emerging trends, including the flexibility-intensification paradox, the persistence of a gendered division of unpaid work, the blurring of boundaries and technostress, the well-being-performance paradox, and the failure of gender-neutral remote work policies. The findings suggest that remote work does not necessarily reduce work-life conflict; rather, in the absence of policies to reduce it at an institutional level in terms of workload management, right-to-disconnect norms, and gender-biased HR policies, remote work has the potential to reinforce structural inequalities. The review expands the argument that work-life "mix" for women in IT is not an individual coping strategy but an organisational and a socio-cultural issue. This paper synthesises disjointed empirical evidence to propose the need for structural rethinking of remote work design in sustainable, gender-sensitive integration practices in digital workplaces.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the lived experience of gig workers working under algorithm management- the “Invisible Boss” in Oman Methodology. This research employs Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), a qualitative approach to explore the lived experience through semi-structured in-depth interviews of gig workers in Oman.The findings revealed three superordinate themes, each comprising multiple subthemes that explains lived experience of gig workers working under algorithm management- the “Invisible Boss” in Oman. The superordinate themes include (1) navigating algorithm oversight, (2) experiencing technostress and (3) coping and adaptation strategies. The findings of the study will contribute to creating a sustainable digital labour platform, balancing productivity and the well-being of gig workers in Oman. The study is based on a small sample of gig workers, which limits the generalisation of the findings. Future researchers can expand the sample across different platforms and mixed method approach. This research contributes to the gig economy by providing an in-depth understanding of platform workers in Oman. This study uncovers the challenges of algorithm control and develops adaptive coping strategies for the digital environment.