Gender Gap in DTS: Evidence & Implications

• Gender gap in DTS is the disparity in stress responses between female and male employees during digital transformation, evidenced by both self-reports and linguistic analyses.
• Empirical findings using the Digital Transformation Stress Scale and sentiment analysis reveal that women consistently report significantly higher stress levels than men in ICT work environments.
• Addressing this gap requires targeted training, mentoring, and real-time sentiment monitoring to reduce ICT helplessness and promote equitable digital transformation.

A gender gap in digital transformation stress (DTS) refers to the systematic difference in stress responses and experiences between female and male employees when facing ICT-intensive transformation processes in the workplace. In the ICT sector, such transformations entail increased demands to acquire new technology skills, adapt to digital workflows, and handle evolving ICT-related workloads. Recent findings provide convergent evidence for a significant and quantifiable gender gap, with women reporting higher DTS than men during organizational digital transformation initiatives (Makowska-Tłumak et al., 18 Oct 2025). This gap manifests both in self-reported psychological measures and linguistic markers of distress in workplace communications.

1. Empirical Evidence of the Gender Gap in DTS

Direct quantitative measurement confirms the DTS gender gap. Using the Digital Transformation Stress Scale (DTSS), women reported a significantly higher mean DTS (3.01, SD = 0.06) than men (2.21, SD = 0.47), with the difference reaching statistical significance:

$t(25) = 2.70, \quad p = 0.012$

Importantly, this disparity is not mirrored in general, non-ICT-specific perceived stress (as measured by the PSS-4), indicating that the gender effect is tied specifically to digital transformation contexts and not to overall stress proneness (Makowska-Tłumak et al., 18 Oct 2025). Complementary analysis of help desk (HD) tickets using sentiment analysis further corroborates the self-report data: female employees more frequently used language categorized as ICT helplessness (“I don’t know,” “I can’t do,” “Please help!”).

2. Methods of Measurement

The paper employs two complementary methodologies: direct psychological assessment and indirect computational sentiment analysis.

• Self-report using DTSS: Respondents rate their own ICT-related transformation stress on a psychometric Likert-type scale, producing gender-disaggregated stress profiles that can be compared via standard inferential statistics.
• Sentiment Analysis of HD Tickets: Linguistic content from HD interactions is processed through a sentiment analysis pipeline calibrated to detect negative affect and expressions of ICT helplessness. Markers include phrases indicating incapacity, anxiety, or repeated requests for assistance (Makowska-Tłumak et al., 18 Oct 2025). The analysis leverages frequency statistics and correlations with stress measures for validation.

The convergence of these two modes (subjective reporting and objective linguistic proxies) strengthens the inference that gender differences in DTS are robust.

3. Underlying Causes

The gender gap in DTS is driven by a confluence of social and organizational factors. A primary cause is the persistence of negative stereotypes positing women as less technically capable. These stereotypes induce a "stereotype threat"—the expectancy that one's performance may confirm prevailing societal biases—which leads to increased stress and a higher likelihood of ICT helplessness. Additionally, the rapid pace of technology change requires continuous skill acquisition, which is perceived as a heavier burden by women, partly because of internalized doubts about technical competency and the lack of tailored support.

Key drivers summarized:

• Negative stereotypes about women’s ICT competence
• Stereotype threat impacting live performance and stress response
• Greater subjective burden from ICT upskilling and adaptation
• Workplace environments lacking in gender-equitable support systems

4. Implications for ICT Workplaces

The existence of a gender gap in DTS carries critical organizational consequences. First, it suggests that digital transformation projects can unintentionally exacerbate stress for women, adversely impacting well-being, engagement, and long-term retention in highly digital roles. Since general baseline stress is controlled, this gap highlights the differential impact of ICT-related change processes specifically, not a general difference in resilience to workplace challenges. Failing to address DTS disparities may thus entrench gender inequality, worsen pipeline attrition, and undermine overall organizational performance.

5. Recommended Interventions and Tools

To remediate DTS gender disparities, several strategies are proposed:

• Automated Monitoring: Deploy sentiment analysis in communication streams (e.g., HD ticket logs) as an early-warning system for ICT-related stress, enabling timely support.
• Targeted Training and Workshops: Data show that women are receptive to participatory workshops and skill-building interventions specifically designed to improve ICT self-efficacy and reduce helplessness.
• Mentoring and Support Networks: Structured peer and manager mentoring can help reduce isolation and boost confidence during digital transitions.
• Cultural Change: Deliberate efforts to counteract stereotypes and foster inclusive, supportive environments are critical.

The evidence calls for not only technology-based solutions (e.g., stress detection systems) but also organizationally mediated interventions, including workshops and mentoring, as part of a holistic approach.

6. Future Research Directions

The findings motivate several avenues for deeper investigation:

• Generalizability: Studies should extend across organizations, sectors, and national contexts to determine if the observed gap is universal or context-specific.
• Algorithmic Refinement: Improvements in NLP and sentiment analysis, especially for non-English contexts (the referenced paper utilized Polish-language HD logs), are needed for more precise stress detection.
• Longitudinal Analyses: Continuous tracking of DTS before, during, and after transformation phases would elucidate the persistence and trajectories of gender-specific stress patterns.
• Interventional Efficacy: Rigorous evaluation of proposed interventions (e.g., automated feedback, targeted support programs) is necessary to quantify impact on DTS and related gender disparities.

7. Conclusion

There is clear, multi-modal evidence for a significant gender gap in digital transformation stress in ICT workplaces (Makowska-Tłumak et al., 18 Oct 2025). This disparity is not an artifact of general life stress, but specifically tied to perceptions and experiences of digital transformation, driven by gendered stereotypes and the unique pressures of technology adaptation. Addressing this gap requires both automated monitoring (e.g., workplace sentiment analysis) and active, inclusive interventions—from participatory training to challenging ingrained gender-related stereotypes. Without such measures, digital transformation may inadvertently amplify existing inequities in the technology workforce.