How do digital technologies affect the social support and relationships of older employees?

The team analyzed 43 peer-reviewed studies that examined the use of digital technologies by older workers over the age of 50. The authors chose this top 50 based on research that suggests that physical limitations and the risk of age discrimination in the labor market are increasing. The goal was to find out what digital technologies older employees use and how they relate to their social support and well-being.

Team connection or feeling disconnected?

The results show different impacts. On the one hand, technologies strengthen employee connectivity. Examples include chats, video calls, and corporate social networks for remote work, which allow people to stay in close contact even when they are away. There are also technologies designed specifically for the specific life situation of older employees, such as a digital “coach” that helps people stay connected before retirement. Mobile apps using artificial intelligence to support mental health have also proven useful. Employees who used these tools improved both their self-confidence and their overall psychological well-being.

On the other hand, the same technologies can lead to isolation. Older employees working from home were more likely to describe a sense of detachment from their surroundings, technostress (i.e. stress resulting from information overload, pressure for availability or the rapid pace of change) and limited contact with superiors. The so-called digital divide plays a role here – the difference between the digital skills that older workers have and the demands that new tools, or employers, place on them.

Recommendations for employers

Whether digitalization benefits or harms older employees is not determined by the technology itself, but by the context in which it is implemented. Support from the organization and managers is essential, otherwise the positive effects are lost. Targeted training helps to shorten the time it takes older employees to master new tools. The combination of digital and human contact is better than purely automated solutions, because their positive effect weakens over time without a human element.

Technology itself therefore does not create or weaken social support. The way it is introduced to the work and whether it is accompanied by a genuine interest in how older colleagues feel in the digital environment is decisive.

Recommended citation:

Tofan, C. M., Ševčíková, A., Korkmaz Yaylagul, N., Kulla, G., Yıldızer, G., Mercan, M. A., Barlın, H., Gu, Y., Nilsson, K., Grad, D. A., Gomes, J. R., & Spijker, J. (2026). Redefining social support: A review of the impacts of digital technologies on social support for older workers. BMC Public Health, 26, article 542. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-26155-w