How does technostress during a pandemic affect employee attrition in IT/ITeS industries? Insights from India

Abstract

Many organizations utilize information and communication technologies (ICTs) to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of their employees in order to achieve best possible resource utilization. With many salient positive outcomes and benefits for organizations, the use of ICTs also imposes a risk of increased stress for employees, referred to as ‘technostress’. This study tests a model to identify the relationship between technostress and employee attrition in information technology (IT) companies in India during a pandemic which in turn escalated dependencies on ICTs, creating stress among employees. Multiple constructs have been utilized using the ‘person-environment fit’ model for this study. Primary data collection with stratified sampling was administered on a multinational IT firm. Statistical tests were performed and inferential model was developed. The findings support the model, providing insights into the role, significance, and ranking of six constructs in employee attrition. The outcome clearly suggests the presence of technostress due to ICTs and its effects on employee attrition during a pandemic.