83% of Employees in Egypt Stay Connected to Work After Hours, Kaspersky Warns of Digital Anxiety

A new survey conducted by Kaspersky in Egypt reveals that digital anxiety is increasingly shaping modern work culture, as employees remain connected to work even during their free time and vacations

The findings show that 83% of respondents monitor work tasks outside working hours, while 86% reply to all work-related messages via instant messaging apps. Similarly, 85% check their work emails during personal time, and 81% admit responding to emails while on vacation

The pressure to remain constantly available is contributing to heightened stress levels at work. Other stress triggers include work mishaps, with 41% reporting anxiety after accidentally sending a message to a work chat. Interestingly, not all errors are perceived equally: 46% remain calm after sending an incomplete email, suggesting some mistakes are considered less serious

Blurred boundaries between professional and personal life, combined with instant communication tools, intensify feelings of constant monitoring. Over a third (33%) of employees feel extremely uncomfortable or even fearful if their boss notices them browsing social media at work. This “always-on” culture may reduce employee well-being, increase burnout risks, and negatively affect long-term productivity

Brandon Muller, Technical Expert at Kaspersky, comments:

“Digital anxiety not only affects employee well-being, but also increases cybersecurity risks. Employees pressured to respond immediately may act impulsively, clicking links or opening attachments without verification, leaving them vulnerable to phishing and social engineering attacks

Kaspersky’s recommendations to minimize digital anxiety and cyber risks:

Pause before replying or clicking: Take time to verify sender details, URLs, and attachments

Treat urgency as a red flag: Cybercriminals exploit pressure and fear; always verify unexpected requests

Avoid unsecured networks: Public Wi-Fi increases risk; use mobile networks or a VPN when working remotely

Leverage cybersecurity technologies: Solutions like Kaspersky Premium and Kaspersky Security for Mail Server offer AI-powered anti-phishing protection, while Kaspersky Next provides robust, cloud-native enterprise security

Employee training: Regular cybersecurity awareness programs help staff respond correctly under stress and reduce human-error risks.