From Technostress to Disengagement: A Conceptual Framework for Workplace Learning Interventions and Resource Protection

Abstract

Digital work intensification and rapid artificial intelligence adoption have made technostress a persistent challenge to business productivity and employee well-being. Although its psychological consequences are widely acknowledged, its systemic implications for employee adaptation and workplace learning remain under-examined. This conceptual paper develops a framework linking technostress to work engagement through emotional exhaustion, with particular attention to the implications of digital overload for formal and informal workplace learning. Integrating Conservation of Resources (COR) theory and the Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) model, the paper proposes that persistent technological demands deplete employees’ psychological resources, leading to emotional exhaustion and reduced vigour, dedication, and absorption. These outcomes may subsequently undermine employees’ participation in workplace learning and continuous professional development. Building on these theoretical relationships, the paper introduces a Dual-Level Intervention Model that outlines organizational-level upskilling initiatives and individual-level employee counselling strategies to help mitigate technostress and sustain a learning-oriented work environment. The proposed framework positions emotional exhaustion as a proximal mechanism connecting technostress with work engagement and its potential implications for workplace learning. The paper contributes to the literature by integrating established theoretical perspectives into an actionable framework for learning designers, training supervisors, and organizational practitioners. As a conceptual contribution, the proposed relationships and interventions require empirical validation and may vary across occupational contexts and technological environments.