Journal of Human Resource Management (May 2024)
Burnout or not? Assessing the effect of digital employee resilience and its effects on work stress
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of the study was to theoretically and empirically assess digital employee resilience and shed light on its antecedents and effect on work stress. Aims(s) – The study aimed to develop a conceptual framework for digital employee resilience. Furthermore, antecedents of both digital employee resilience and work stress were empirically analyzed, including the relationship between digital employee resilience and work stress. Design/methodology/approach— A thorough literature research was carried out to create a conceptual framework and definition for digital employee resilience and to derive hypotheses. Next, an online survey was conducted with a sample of 454 individuals. Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling (SEM), and a multigroup analysis was performed. Findings – The study found positive effects of positive affect, digital literacy, self-efficacy, and perceived organizational support (POS) on digital employee resilience. Moreover, a negative effect of digital employee resilience on work stress was found. Role conflict, role ambiguity, and work overload are positively related to work stress. Limitations of the study – Limitations include the nature of the sample since only cross-sectional data on individuals from Germany was obtained. Moreover, digital employee resilience was measured in a particular context, e.g., working from home. Thus, exploring digital employee resilience using different samples and other contexts offers promising avenues for future research. Practical implications – The study helps HRM practitioners nurture digital employee resilience and address causes of work stress in a targeted way. Originality/value – This study is among the first to investigate digital employee resilience theoretically and empirically. It enriches the discourse on digital resilience by integrating various existing definitions and conceptualizations into a newly developed framework for digital employee resilience.
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