APPLYING ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT THEORY TO MITIGATE DIGITAL FATIGUE AND BURNOUT AMONG REMOTE UX/UI DESIGNERS POST-PANDEMIC: A HUMAN-CENTERED HR APPROACH

Öz

The expansion of remote work in the post-pandemic period has intensified psychological challenges such as digital fatigue and burnout, especially among UX/UI designers whose work depends on sustained creativity, continuous screen exposure, and intensive digital collaboration. Grounded in Organizational Support Theory (OST), this study examines how perceived organizational support can help mitigate these challenges in remote creative work settings. A qualitative design was employed, based on semi-structured interviews with 15 remote UX/UI designers in Türkiye. The data were analyzed through thematic analysis, supported by sentiment analysis to better capture the emotional tone of participants’ experiences. The findings show that digital fatigue is primarily driven by prolonged screen time, frequent tool-switching, and back-to-back virtual meetings, while burnout is linked to unrealistic deadlines, blurred work–life boundaries and reduced creative autonomy. Participants emphasized that role-specific organizational support mechanisms such as mental health support, flexible or hybrid work arrangements, and digital detox practices—play an important role in reducing psychological strain and sustaining well-being. Practices such as no-meeting days and protected offline periods were identified as particularly helpful. By extending Organizational Support Theory to the context of remote UX/UI work, this study contributes to the literature on employee well-being by offering role-specific and context-sensitive insights. It also provides practical guidance for organizations seeking to design more supportive and sustainable remote work environments for creative professionals.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Remote Work
• Digital Fatigue
• Burnout
• Organizational Support Theory (OST)
• HR Strategies

PANDEMİ SONRASI UZAKTAN ÇALIŞAN UX/UI TASARIMCILARINDA DİJİTAL YORGUNLUK VE TÜKENMİŞLİĞİ AZALTMADA ÖRGÜTSEL DESTEK TEORİSİNİN UYGULANMASI: İNSAN MERKEZLİ BİR İK YAKLAŞIMI

Öz

Pandemi sonrası dönemde uzaktan çalışmanın yaygınlaşması, özellikle çalışmaları sürekli yaratıcılık, uzun süreli ekran maruziyeti ve yoğun dijital iş birliğine dayanan Kullanıcı Deneyimi (UX) ve Kullanıcı Arayüzü (UI) tasarımcıları açısından dijital yorgunluk ve tükenmişlik gibi psikolojik sorunları artırmıştır. Örgütsel Destek Teorisi (OST) çerçevesine dayanan bu çalışma, algılanan örgütsel desteğin uzaktan yaratıcı çalışma ortamlarında bu sorunların azaltılmasına nasıl katkı sağlayabileceğini incelemektedir. Araştırmada nitel bir tasarım benimsenmiş ve Türkiye’de uzaktan çalışan 15 UX/UI tasarımcısıyla yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler gerçekleştirilmiştir. Veriler, katılımcı deneyimlerinin duygusal tonunu daha iyi yansıtabilmek amacıyla duygu analizi ile desteklenen tematik analiz yoluyla incelenmiştir. Bulgular, dijital yorgunluğun temel olarak uzun süreli ekran kullanımı, sık araç geçişleri ve art arda yapılan çevrim içi toplantılardan kaynaklandığını; tükenmişliğin ise gerçekçi olmayan teslim tarihleri, belirsizleşen iş-yaşam sınırları ve azalan yaratıcı özerklik ile ilişkili olduğunu göstermektedir. Katılımcılar, ruh sağlığı desteği, esnek ya da hibrit çalışma düzenlemeleri ve dijital detoks uygulamaları gibi role özgü örgütsel destek mekanizmalarının psikolojik yükü azaltmada ve iyi oluşu sürdürmede önemli bir rol oynadığını vurgulamıştır. Özellikle toplantısız günler ve çevrimdışı zaman dilimlerinin korunması yararlı uygulamalar olarak öne çıkmıştır. OST’yi uzaktan UX/UI çalışması bağlamına uyarlayan bu çalışma, çalışanların ruhsal ve mesleki deneyimlerine ilişkin literatüre role özgü ve bağlama duyarlı bir katkı sunmaktadır. Ayrıca, yaratıcı profesyoneller için daha destekleyici ve sürdürülebilir uzaktan çalışma ortamları tasarlamak isteyen kurumlara pratik öneriler sunmaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Uzaktan Çalışma
• Dijital Yorgunluk
• Tükenmişlik
• Örgütsel Destek Teorisi (OST)
• İK Stratejileri

Destekleyen Kurum

İstanbul Medipol Üniversitesi

Etik Beyan

Sayın Şenay ÇAYLAN, Üniversitemiz Sosyal Bilimler Bilimsel Araştırmalar Etik Kuruluna yapmış olduğunuz “Dijital Tükenmişlik ve İşten Ayrılma Riskini Azaltmada Örgütsel Destek Teorisi Uzaktan Çalışan UXUI Tasarımcılarına Yönelik İnsan Odaklı HR Yaklaşımı (Applying Organizational Support Theory to Mitigate Digital Fatigue and Burnout Among Remote UXUI Designers Post-Pandemic A Human-Centered HR Approach)” isimli başvurunuz incelenmiş olup, etik kurulu kararı ekte sunulmuştur.

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