Linking Techno Stress with Creativity through the Sequential Mediation of Emotional Exhaustion and Intrinsic Motivation in the IT Sector of Pakistan

Abstract

The study attempts to investigate the effect of technostress on creativity in the IT sector of Pakistan while emotional exhaustion and intrinsic motivation were used as sequential mediators. In addition, direct and indirect effect of all the mediators and technostress was also seen on creativity. Seeing technology development worldwide there is an increase in stress level among the employees specifically related to technology. With increasing technology job insecurity also increases due to not meeting the required demands of the changing technology. Pakistan being a third world developing country is gaining it pace in the race of technology worldwide. As this the right way moving forward, adaptability and sustaining this technology is equally important. In the IT sector of Pakistan employees lack awareness in how to effectively utilize this increased technology instead of seeing it as a threat. The study was carried on the IT companies based in Islamabad, Pakistan with a sample size of 384 IT professionals. Questionnaires were the primary source of data collection from the employees working in this sector. This positivist approached cross sectional exploratory research aims to explore the relation between technostress and creativity. SPSS data analysis software is used to analyze data and present the results. The results supported all the four hypothesis confirming that technostress had a negative relation with creativity and intrinsic motivation whereas a positive relation with emotional exhaustion. Intrinsic motivation and creativity have a positive relation whereas both are negatively related to emotional exhaustion. The study provided valuable contribution to the literature by providing solution on how to mitigate technostress at the workplace to increase creativity.