Examining the nexus between technostress and turnover intention: the moderating influence of PsyCap in Indian information management contexts

Purpose The recent pandemic (COVID-19) and the continuous ICT advancements have resulted in increased levels of technostress. On this basis, the present work tried to explore how technostress influences employees’ turnover intention with the mediation of work-exhaustion. Deploying the theoretical lens of job demands-resources theory, the authors also aim to investigate the part that positive psychological capital (PsyCap) has to play as a moderator in between technostress and work-exhaustion. Design/methodology/approach The study utilizes a time-lagged methodological design; data was gathered from 544 Indian IT employees. Additionally, PLS-SEM was used to carry out the aforementioned moderation-mediation analysis. Findings All the hypotheses proposed were confirmed. It was found that technostress significantly impacts employees’ turnover intention. Additionally, work-exhaustion does mediate the relationship between technostress and employees’ turnover intention. Furthermore, PsyCap did play the role of a moderator between Technostress and work-exhaustion. Practical implications This paper provides an augmented understanding of technostress in IT organizations and highlights the role of personal resources in aiding employees’ to deal with technostress. Originality/value This study is one of the early studies to highlight the role of positive psychological capital in mitigating the impact of technology-induced exhaustion and employees’ turnover intention.