Aim:The growing adoption of information and communication technologies (ICT) at work has resulted in techno-burnout and reduced work engagement among ICT workers. This conceptual paper examines the role of dispositional mindfulness in reducing techno-burnout and increasing work engagement among ICT workers. The paper also postulates that mindfulness exerts its impacts through the mediation of psychological need satisfaction (PNS).
Theoretical grounding:The model is grounded within the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) theory. Technostressors, pressurizing characteristics of ICT, are viewed as job demands, and organizational supports (e.g. technical support provision) and mindfulness are viewed as organization provided and personal resources respectively. Conservation of Resources theory lends credence to the role of PNS as a mediator.
Contributions:Findings of this study could extend emerging evidence on a) the potential of mindfulness as a personal resource, and b) the role of PNS, a relatively underexplored mediator in studies of mindfulness. Further, this paper provides a holistic approach to technostress mitigation, so far restricted to examining only organizational supports, by exploring the individual’s agency, through being mindful, in coping with ICT induced pressures. In the practice sphere, the study’s findings can inform the development of mindfulness development programmes to function well in an ICT pervasive work environment.