Job Demands and Resources During Digital Transformation in Public Administration: A Qualitative Study

Area of Science:

• Organizational Psychology
• Public Administration Studies
• Digital Transformation Research

Background:

• Digital transformation presents unique challenges to employee well-being in public administration.
• Hierarchical structures and digitalization pressures exacerbate mental health issues and absenteeism.
• Understanding job demands and resources is crucial for supporting employees during change.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore employee and supervisor perspectives on demands and resources during digital transformation in public administration.
• To identify individual and job-related factors influencing psychological well-being in this context.
• To apply the Job Demands-Resources model to the public sector's digital transition.

Main Methods:

• Semi-structured interviews with 8 employees and 11 supervisors in Northern German public administration organizations.
• Qualitative content analysis using a deductive-inductive approach based on the Job Demands-Resources model.
• Data collection occurred between September 2023 and February 2024.

Main Results:

• Individual resources: technical affinity, error tolerance, willingness to learn.
• Job resources: transparent communication, attentive leadership, technical support, counseling (often linked to leadership and work organization).
• Job demands: insufficient participation, inadequate planning, lengthy procedures; Personal demands: fear of change, negative attitudes.

Conclusions:

• Employee experiences of demands and resources during digital transformation are highly individual.
• Participatory communication, employee involvement, leadership awareness, and competence development are vital for well-being.
• Future research should utilize longitudinal and interventional designs for causal insights and generalizability.