Indian Journal of Commerce & Management Studies ISSN: 2240-0310 EISSN: 2229-5674

THE IMPACT OF WORKLOAD AND TECHNOLOGY

COMPETENCE ON TECHNOSTRESS AND
PERFORMANCE OF EMPLOYEES

Lieli Suharti, Agung Susanto,

Satya Wacana Christian University, Satya Wacana Christian University,
Indonesia. Indonesia.

ABSTRACT

Stress is a physiological and psychological pressure perceived by an individual that placing

himself/herself in a risk, both physically and mentally. The research objective of this research is to
find out whether the level of technology competence and workload has an impact on employee
performance through technostress as an intervening variable. The respondents of this study were 138
people whom work at Production and Engineering department of a multinational company using
automation technology equipment in operation. A technique of data collection was done by using
questionaire and interviews. Data was analysed using the SEM (Structural Equation Modelling)
approach. From the research it can be concluded that the workload and competence level of
automation technology had significant impact to technostress. Further, the study also shows a
significant relationships between workload and employee performance which the Technostress acts as
an intervening variable in the relationship.

Keywords: technostress, technology competence, employee performance, workload.

Introduction: pressure/stress for employees known as Technostress
(Ennis, 2005).
Rapid technological developments in the industry
The technostress term was firstly proposed by Brod
world has brought changes to the work system within
(1984), who called technostress as a disease caused by
the organization in order to make organization can
the inability of an individual to adapt the new
survive and win the competition (Poole & Denny,
technologies in a healthy manner. Some limited
2001). This fact has an impact on every individual
studies on technostress are ever done. According to
who works in an organization to produce a better
Weil & Rosen (2010), several studies had been
performance continually, both in quantity and quality.
discussed about technostress. For example, Hudiburg
Especially for organization that use high technology
& Necessary (1997) examined the stress on the use of
(hitech) in its production activities, each employee is
computers, computer or technology disruptions that
required to be more and more expert to operationalize
cause stress. Weil and Rosen (1997) have also
various machines (Quinn, 2007). This is due to
examined the theme of this technostress and
changes in production technology that will change the
introduced the concept of technophobia, Cyberphobia,
existing working system (Brillhart, 2004).
computerphobia, computer anxiety, computer stress,
Kupersmith (2003) argued that self adjustment to the
negative computer attitudes, and computer aversio.
changes in technology which is quickly developed and
According to the researchers above, technostress is
cannot be prevented is not an easy matter. Some
negative impression against changes in behavior,
individuals are able to accept these changes, but there
thinking, or psychology as a reaction to the
are also people who have difficulty in accepting the
technology usage, either directly or indirectly.
changes that occur. Circumstances in which a person
Technostress may occur due to a number of causes
cannot cope and accept the technology changes which
and can also cause a variety of effects for individuals
is quickly developed then it becomes the
and organizations. Some surveys conducted on the

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Indian Journal of Commerce & Management Studies ISSN: 2240-0310 EISSN: 2229-5674
librarians in America (Kupersmith, 2003; U.S. amount of work assigned to a person or a group, and
Department of Health and Human Services, 2005), that is to be done in a particular period, which is also
found a number of technostress major causes. Two defined as the amount of hour requires to carried out
factors expected to be positively related to the level of specific maintenance tasks.
technostress on employees working in high-tech work By Carlson (2003), work overload is distinguished in
environment were excessive job demands (work load) quantitative and qualitative overload. Quantitative
and insufficient mastery of the technology competence overload is "having too much to do", while qualitative
on employees. The second factor was also mentioned work overload is "too difficult to do". So when the
as a factor for technostress in several other studies employees feel too much work to do, too diverse
(Cooper & Payne, 1994; Cooper & Straw, 1995; things to do, or not enough time available to complete
Brillhart, 2004). The higher performance demands and the assigned job, then the condition is called work
complexity of the technical problems that occur in overload.
high-tech equipment has led to increased workload in Indication of work overload may be seen since an
individuals who work in it. The change of this high- increase in production volume, an increase in the
tech tools usage, would take effect on the workload of number of goods types that should be produced and
the employees because there was necessity to learn use of high-tech production equipment (Csaja &
and master the high-tech, which was a new form of Joseph, 1993; Harper, 2002; Quinn, 2007).
psychological pressure. The correlation between workload variables with
The technostress symptoms according Brillhart (2004) technostress can be formed on the basis of the Davis
might have an impact on physical disorders, and Newstrom theory synthesis (Margianti, 1999: 73-
psychological disorders and behavioral disorders. In 75), that mentioned the existence of some job
terms of company management, excessive stress is characteristics and work environment which contains
feared to have negative effect on the employees’ stressful situations, for example the heavy
behavior and performance. A number of studies had tasks/workload (overload). Quinn (2007) confirmed
found negative impact of excessive stress on the that the number of disturbances in the computer and
absenteeism level, reduced levels of productivity, high-tech equipment would result in technostress in
reduced organizational commitment, as well as the individuals who work within the system.
decline in the quality of interpersonal relationships and So when the employees at the engeenering companies
employees’ turnover (Beehr, 1978; Cooper & Payne, that use robots with a computer control system feel
1994; Praptini, 2000; Lestari, 2002; Quinn, 2007). that it is too hard work to be done, too diverse things
Technostress levels experienced by employees might to do, or not enough time available to complete the
also lead to decreased company performance due to assigned tasks, then this situation can lead to stress
dereased individual performance. According to caused by changes in technology. Based on the
Brillhart (2004), stress or pressure could lead to explanation above, we may compile the following
productivity if they were in acceptable levels, but the hypothesis:
study results of Skeem (2005), also suggested that H1: Workload has an impact on Technostress of the
stress could also be counter- productive if it was employees working in the engeneering
outside the tolerance limits. Department that use high-tech production
Researches on stress in general and its impact on equipment.
individual performance have been widely applied in
the field of organizational behavior. However, Technology Competence and Technostress:
research on stress caused by the impact of industrial
Competence implies possession of knowledge, skills
technology (industrial technostress) is still relatively
and abilities required by a specific job. Thus it can be
limited. This study aims to determine whether
stated that competence is a set of knowledge and skills
workload and the level of technology competence
that should be possessed by a person in performing
have impact to Technostress, as well as whether
their duties.
Technostress has an impact on performance of
Reviewed from the technology side, according to
employees.
Czaja & Joseph (1993), technology automation
competence is ownership of knowledge, skills and
Literature Review:
abilities that are integrated by the individual on the
Workload and Technostress:
field of mechatronics technology, computer
Workload can be defined as the number of activities technology and information technology.
that must be completed by a person or group of people Thus, a person's level of automation technology
over a certain period of time under normal competence is defined as a measure of the ability level
circumstances (Carlson, 2003). In Internet Dictionary of an individual in terms of mastering a set of skills
(2010), workload is defined as work that a person is and knowledge in the field of mechatronics
expected to do in specific time. Still from the same technology, computer technology and information
source, we can also find the workload definition as the technology in running the automatic system

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Indian Journal of Commerce & Management Studies ISSN: 2240-0310 EISSN: 2229-5674
equipment in production process. The higher the H3: Technostress affect the performance of the
individual competencies of automation technology, employees working in high-tech industrial
the easier the computer or technology disturbance environments.
management during the equipment running process.
This will reduce the negative stress caused by changes Study Model:
in the working system due to the changes in available
Based on a literature review and analysis of the
technology (Weil & Rosen, 2010).
correlation between variables above, the research
Quinn (2007) suggested that individual performance
model can be constructed as follows:
was affected by factors such as the individual ability
Figure 1. Study Model
in the form of knowledge and skills they had. In
industries that implementing high-tech, it was
suspected a correlation between the technology
competence level of employees with technostress
level. An individual with high level of automation
technology competence was expected to perform well
adaptation to the new technology changes so he or she
Study Methods:
did not have technostress. In contrast to individuals
with low level of automation technology competence, Population and Data Collection Technique:
was expected to have technostress problems.
This was an explanatory study that examined the
Based on the explanation above, the following
impact and correlation between numbers of variables.
hypothesis is formulated:
The study was conducted on employees who are
H2: The technology competence level has an impact to
working in the Engineering Department of one
Technostress in employees who work at the
multinational company that run in non- dairy creamer
engeneering Department that use high-tech
production, as many as 138 people. The selection of
production equipment
research objects located in Central Java Indonesia was
based on the consideration that the company
Technostress and Performance of Employees :
production system had been changed from semi-
Work performance or work achievements can be manual production system into a production system
defined as a person's success in executing a job. with high-tech equipment. The production process in
Performance is succesfull achievement obtained by an the factory had largely used robotic equipment that
employee of their work results during a particular were operated from a control room, starting from the
period as compared with the work standard that has raw materials receiving, the cooking process, drying
been determined and have been agreed together. up and packing process.
Improved performance for both individuals and The study samples were all employees who work in
groups become the center of attention in an effort to the Engineering Department as many as 138 people,
improve organizational performance (Mathis & used saturated sampling method in which the entire
Jackson, 2002:78). population was used as respondents. The data
In European Journal of Scientific Research, Riggio collection was performed by questionnaires that were
(2003) said that: distributed to the respondents. In addition, researchers
"Most workers feel some sense of purpose and also conducted in-depth interviews with the company
accomplishment about their jobs, which can be very management to obtain information from the
rewarding and self -satisfying. However, work can company’s point of view.
also be a tremendous burden, with deadlines to
meet, work overload and difficult bosses placing a Variables Measurement:
considerable pressure and strain on workers.
Measurement of workload variables (X1) in this study
Therefore, jobs and the work environment
included the aspects of work amount and time to
commonly produce stress, which if not properly
complete the work items and they were integrated in 8
handled, can result in negative and dysfunctional
questions.Measurement of the technology competence
behavior at work”.
level concept (X2) used empirical indicators
correlated with the competence level of mechatronics
Based on the definition of performance and the
technology, computer technology and information
indicators above, the researchers saw an early
technology which consisted of 6 question items.
indication of a link between the technostress level and
Furthermore technostress variable (Y1) was measured
performance on individuals. In the high-tech industrial
by using empirical indicators that were synthesized by
environment, it is thought that high technostress level
Cooper & Straw (1995), which included indicators of
can decrease the performance of employees.
physical changes, behavioral changes, and character
and personality changes, with a total of 6 question

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Indian Journal of Commerce & Management Studies ISSN: 2240-0310 EISSN: 2229-5674
items. Finally, performance measurement was based Table 2. Test Results of Goodness of Fit Overall Model
on the work results that were achieved by the Cut-of Model
employees in carrying out the tasks assigned to them Criteria Notes
value Results
based on skills experience, and determination as well CMIN/DF ≤ 2.00 1.511 Fit
as the time, which consisted of 8 question items. GFI ≥ 0.90 0.804 Moderate
All study concepts were measured using a Likert scale
AGFI ≥ 0.90 0.867 Moderate
at the level of the ordinal, with the scale of 1-5, whith
1 (strongly disagree), to 5 (strongly agree). Validity CFI ≥ 0.95 0.890 Moderate
and reliability tests of this study instrument showed RMSEA ≤ 0.08 0.063 Fit
that all question items used in this study were valid
with r > 0:30. All concepts studied were also met the Goodness of Fit Overall test results showed 2 of 5
reliable elements of Cronbach Alpha value >0.60. criteria indicated the Fit model, while the 3 other
criteria showed moderate model. According to
Data Analysis Techniques: Solimun (2009), the best criteria that were used as the
Data analysis technique here used inferential statistical model goodness indication was the value of Chi
Square / DF < 2, and RMSEA<0:08. In this study, the
analysis with SEM (Structural Equation Modeling)
CMIN/DF and RMSEA values have met the cut-off
method. SEM analysis was used to test the impact
value. Therefore, SEM model in this study was
between variables in the research model and those that
suitable and feasible for use, so that interpretation
have been hypothesized.
could be performed for further discussion.
Overall, the research model to be tested is as follows.
Confirmatory Factor Analysis:
Measurement model was measured from loading factor
value (standardize coefficient) for each indicator to the
latent variables. Loading factor value indicates the
weight of each indicator as a measurer of each variable
studied. Indicator with a large loading factor indicates
the indicator as a dominant variable measurer.
Results of confirmatory factor analysis to the indicators
of the four variables were presented as follows:

Tabel 3. Confirmatory Factor Analysis

Estimate
Results and Discussion: Technostress <--- Workload .415
Basic Assumptions of SEM Test: Technology
Technostress <--- -.454
Basic assumption test in the SEM, that was test for Competence
normality, linearity and outliers showed that the data Performance <--- Technostress -.940
met all the basic assumptions of SEM test. Absolute Y21 <--- Performance .327
value of Critical Ratio for Multivariate was Y22 <--- Performance .588
1,015<1.96 then the assumption of multivariate Y23 <--- Performance .645
normality was met. Examination of the multivariate
Y24 <--- Performance .480
oultiers was performed by Mahalanobis distance
criteria at the level of p<0.001 Y25 <--- Performance .521
Outliers test found that the most distant point of Y26 <--- Performance .408
observation was the first respondent with Md value= Y27 <--- Performance .484
χ 892 value=135.98, then Y13 <--- Technostress .508
61 035. When compared to a
Y12 <--- Technostress .391
the value of the first point Md<135.98, so it was
Y11 <--- Technostress .455
concluded that all observation points was not outliers.
Technology
X21 <--- .840
Competence
Goodnesss of SEM Fit:
Technology
X22 <--- .804
Goodness of fit overall model test results, in order to Competence
determine whether the hypothetical model was Technology
supported by empirical data, was provided in the table X23 <--- .741
Competence
below. X11 <--- Workload 1.077
X12 <--- Workload .596

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Indian Journal of Commerce & Management Studies ISSN: 2240-0310 EISSN: 2229-5674
Based on the table above, it is seen that all study inversely proportionate which means the higher the
indicators have a standardize coefficient or loading Technostress, the lower the performance of
factor p-value of <0.05. Some indicators were even employees.
declared as fixed. It could be concluded that all
indicators were significant in measuring the research Discussion:
variables.
The study results found that changes in production
technology that was made too quickly and without
Structural Model:
properly preparing employees could cause
In this structural model we tested the hypothesis for Technostress. Factors such as excessive workload
the correlation between variables (direct effect). We (over work load) due to the changes in technology that
present the complete results of the tests on the affect the work system changes in this study was
correlation between the variables as follows: found to be significantly and positively correlated to
the technostress emergence. Interviews with the
Table 4. SEM Hypothesis Test company management found that in the early stages of
Correlation between P-
new production technologies implementation in the
Coefficient Notes company, there were indications that showed an
Variabels value
WorkLoad (X1) → increasing stress on employees such as increased
0.415 0.002 Significant
Technostress (Y1) absenteeism, increased number of employees who
Technology Competence went to the company clinic, as well as the increased
-0.454 0.001 Significant
(X2)→Technostress (Y1) number of self resignation percentage of employees.
Technostress (Y1) → These facts were compounded by the frequent
-0.940 0.001 Significant
Performance (Y2) occurrence of product defects due to improper
machine operation, which would increase the
Hypothesis test results are graphically presented as workload of the employees because they had to work
follows: longer (overtime).
Furthermore, the study results found a significant
Workload 0.415 correlation between Technology Competence Level
(X1) 0.9
and Technostress. In-depth interviews to the company
Technostress Performance
(Y2)
management admitted that in the early stages of the
Technology (Y1)
use of automation equipment, the majority of
Competence
Level (X2) 0.454 individuals in the work environment felt confused and
did not understand how to operate the new production
system. Training was not enough, considering the
Based on the tables and figures above, the test results limited time due to high workload. Less training was
of the structural model can be interpreted as follows: one of the obstacles in the effort to increase
automation technology competence in each individual.
1. The impact of workload on Technostress was The third hypothesis that technostress would have an
indicated by a coefficient of 0.415 with a p - value impact on employee performance was proven in this
of <0.05 so that it can be mentioned that there was study. This finding was in line with the company
a significant impact of Workload on Technostress. management recognition that there had been a decline
Since the coefficient was positive (0.415), then in the productivity of employees, especially in the
their correlation was in the same direction. This initial period of new technology production system
means that the higher the workload, the higher the changes. It was recognized by a manager at the
Technostress. company’s Technical Support who leads a group of
2. The impact of Technology Competence on engineers charged with the maintenance execution and
Technostress was demonstrated by the coefficient equipment repair. The manager admitted that in the
of -0454 with a p value of <0.05. This means that past 3 years he felt psychological pressure changes in
there was a significant impact ofTechnology his duties as follows:
Competence level on Technostress. Since the "I felt an increase in psychological distress due to
coefficient was negative (-0454) the correlation extra workload, especially since the increased
was inversely proportionate. This means that the complexity of production equipment using
higher the Technology Competence level, the automation technology. Technical issues that
lower the Technostress. arised were always different and required different
3. Technostress impact on the performance handling. In addition, the increase of product types
coefficient of -0940 with a p value of <0.05 so that also forced me and my team to do new settings and
it could be interpreted that there was a strong other modifications to suit the needs of the
significant impact from Technostress on production process for new product types".
Performance of Employees. The impact was

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Indian Journal of Commerce & Management Studies ISSN: 2240-0310 EISSN: 2229-5674
One other Manager in the System Engineering Workload & Technology Competence to the
Department who leads a group of engineers in charge performance of employees.
of setting up treatment programs in Computerized 2. The study findings made a contribution to the
Maintenance Management System (CMMS) and new stress theory in the context of Technostress that
projects supervision also said in line with the occurs specifically in the industrial world with
comments above: high technology (robotic equipment) in the
"I find it very difficult and was ever increasing in production process.
the past 3 years. The number of automated 3. To avoid excessive technostress, it is needed to
equipment need highly variable spare parts and develop organizational handling. To the
difficult to obtain in the market, making it difficult management board in industrial world, it is
for the planned maintenance. In terms of handling advisable to conduct a comprehensive and
the production capacity increasing project, I need thorough preparation prior to performing
to have additional skills and competencies production system replacement from manual
especially in process engineering, installation and system to high-tech automation system. This is to
commissioning of the automated equipment." avoid the occurrence of company's losses due to
the decline in the performance of employees who
The findings in this study supported some previous experience technostress. It's important to
Technostress studies (Poole & Denny, 2001; implement the appropriate changing management
Kupersmith, 2003; Carlson, 2003; Skeem, 2005; steps for this change can make positive impact to
Quinn, 2007) that the introduction of a new the occurrence of stress rather than negative stress.
technology did not always have a positive impact, but Technology-based training
could cause technostress on employees if it was not 4. For individual handling, all employees in the
prepared properly. Subsequent impact of technostress various fields of industry are recommended to
on the employees could give a negative effect on the continually learn and improve their competences in
organization because of excessive technostress might a sustainable manner in order to be individuals
degrade the performance of employees. who are ready to accept new challenges and not
become a victim of the work system changes itself.
Conclusions:
To make this study model steady, future research
Based on the analysis and research objectives, we can
should re-examine this study model in other industry
draw conclutions as follows:
sectors that use high-tech production process. In
1. There was significant and positive impact of
addition, on the other hand, it will be interesting to
Workload to Technostress on employees who work
observe high-tech industry that is able to make
in industries with high-tech production equipment.
technology changes in company environment
The existence of the positive coefficient indicated
smoothly that do not lead technostress but can
their correlation was in one direction. This means
improve the performance of employees.
that the higher the workload, the higher the
Technostress.
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2. There was significant and inversely proportionate
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