Twin Threats in Digital Workplace: Technostress and Work Intensification in a Dual-Path Moderated Mediation Model of...

This study investigates how technostress and work intensification jointly influence employee health harm through two distinct stressor-strain pathways within Pakistan's manufacturing sector. The proposed model specifies two mechanisms, (1) technostress induces IT strain that contributes to health harm, moderated by user satisfaction; and (2) work intensification heightens emotional exhaustion that similarly leads to health harm, moderated by perceived organizational support. Grounded in Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, the framework explains how cumulative digital and organizational demands deplete employee resources, amplifying both psychological and physical harm. A cross-sectional quantitative design was employed, utilizing a structured self-administered questionnaire administered to mid and senior-level employees across manufacturing firms. A total of 252 valid responses were analyzed through Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) using Smart PLS 4. Results revealed that both IT strain and emotional exhaustion significantly mediated the effects of technostress and work intensification, respectively, on health harm. Moreover, user satisfaction significantly moderated the IT strain-health harm relationship, indicating that higher satisfaction with digital tools mitigates the adverse impact of technological stress. Similarly, organizational support weakened the association between emotional exhaustion and health harm, underscoring its protective role in high-pressure work settings. This study offers theoretical advancement by integrating fragmented stressor-strain models and offers practical recommendations to foster digital well-being and supportive organizational work cultures in evolving industrial contexts.