How do workers experience online stress management interventions? A review of the findings from qualitative investigations

In response to the significant societal challenge posed by stress in the workplace, a range of online work-stress management interventions have been developed, with increasing evidence for their efficacy across a range of psychosocial outcomes. This review addresses an emerging trend in work-related stress research by determining what is known from qualitative investigations how workers experience online work-stress management interventions. A scoping review of the published research, informed by the Arksey and O’Malley (Citation2005) and Levac, Colquhoun and O’Brien (Citation2010) frameworks, was undertaken. Twenty-five studies were deemed eligible for inclusion and were reviewed using a descriptive-analytical approach. Analysis of the findings of these studies is presented across four themes. These are the positive features of online work-stress interventions; the barriers to such interventions; the benefits of online work-stress interventions, and improving online work-stress interventions. The findings are discussed with reference to what is known about the experience of undertaking online interventions more generally, recommendations for the delivery of online interventions to workers, and areas of potential further research.