Abstract
BackgroundDigital services have been found promising in managing different aspects of health, also stress. We developed a web service for cultivating the positive side of stress based on the stress experiences of entrepreneurs. In this paper, we present a field study conducted to evaluate the user acceptance and the user experience of the developed service.MethodsTwenty-two participants, working as entrepreneurs or having an entrepreneurial-type job description, used the web service for 6 weeks. User experiences were collected from all participants with electronic questionnaires, and 10 participants were interviewed to gain deeper understanding and to formulate design implications. In addition, usage logs of the web service were analysed to assess how actively the participants used the service and a pre and post questionnaires on stress and work engagement were conducted to evaluate the preliminary effectiveness of the service.ResultsThe usage activity of the service was relatively low, on average, the service was used on 3 days and a total of 101 min. During the usage period, the participants’ negative stress measured by the perceived stress scale decreased and their self-reported positive stress experiences had increased. The participants considered the positive perspective to stress useful. In the Eustress Toolbox service, the users appreciated especially the off-line and reflection exercises, as well as the quotations from peers, but the design should have supported more active triggering to use the service.ConclusionsBased on user experience, we propose four design implications: Integrate the service into the daily hassle of entrepreneurs, Provide personal guidance while maintaining a possibility to explore, Recognise the user’s progress and accomplishments in a meaningful way and Support implicit learning from peer entrepreneurs.Trial registrationISRCTN14739582, Sept 3 2019, retrospectively registered.
Highlights
Digital services have been found promising in managing different aspects of health, stress
We present a field study conducted to evaluate the user experience of the Eustress Toolbox among a group of people working as entrepreneurs or having an entrepreneur-type work description
This study investigated the feasibility of a new web service, the Eustress Toolbox, for stimulating the positive side of stress among entrepreneurs and people doing entrepreneur-like work
Summary
Digital services have been found promising in managing different aspects of health, stress. Stress is a significant challenge in the working life It causes serious health problems for individuals ([13, 27]) and has been associated with societal costs due to, for example, absenteeism and loss of productivity [11]. Several studies confirm [3, 5, 48] that coping with and managing stress effectively are critical skills to entrepreneurs and for survival and success of their companies. These findings on successful entrepreneurs’ strengths in managing stress indicate that other entrepreneurs and employees could learn from their ways of managing stress. The growing research interest in entrepreneurial mindset [21, 24, 35] and self-leadership [33, 37] imply that work in general has become increasingly entrepreneurial in nature
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
