Employees’ Adaptation to Technology Uncertainty in the Digital Era: An Exploration Through the Lens of Job Demands–Resources Theory

Abstract

Digital transformation has created dramatic changes and led to extensive employee uncertainty in the workplace. This study aimed to explore how employees can positively respond and adapt to digital transformation and the uncertainty it creates. Based on the job demands–resources (JD-R) theory, we propose that perceived technology uncertainty may be a type of job demand which will increase employees’ technostress and, sequentially, reduce job satisfaction. Moreover, we argue that two factors, coproduction work context and individual skill flexibility, should be included as additional demands and resources that jointly interact and influence employees’ wellbeing. We explore our theoretical arguments in the financial services industry context, where the Fintech Revolution is undergoing. Data from a two-wave survey of 296 employees revealed that perceived technology uncertainty indeed threatens employees’ subjective wellbeing through increased technostress. However, we found complex interactions among these three factors. While coproduction was originally an intensive job demand, it becomes a job resource to help employees cope with technostress if they have high skill flexibility. If employees can flexibly use their skills to face digital revolution challenges, the experiences acquired from coproduction jobs will be valuable for future work. Managerial implications were also discussed, along with directions for future research.