The receptivity of younger generation Romanian employees to new technology implementation and its impact on the balance between work and life
Abstract
In the current era, technological advancement has completely changed many facets of our daily lives, such as the workplace, where modern-day companies are compelled to take proactive actions. Employees face the same challenges by shifting their practices from conventional to more innovative ones. This study explores Generation Z and Millennials‘ receptivity to technological advancement and how it impacts their personal and professional lives. By exploring four personalitybased characteristics – optimism, innovation, discomfort, and insecurity – this study develops clear pathways from the perspective of Romanian younger employees. The proposed research hypotheses were tested with a sample of 399 employees, and quantitative data analysis was carried out using partial least squares structural equation modelling. Our findings are expected to provide employers, human resource managers, recruiters, and policymakers with new insights that enable them to develop methods, strategies, policies, and measures tailored to the mentality and behavioural patterns of these specific target groups.
Keyword : technology, employees, companies, personality-based characteristics, Romania
How to Cite
Trifan, V. A., & Pantea, M. F. (2023). The receptivity of younger generation Romanian employees to new technology implementation and its impact on the balance between work and life. Journal of Business Economics and Management, 24(3), 489–505. https://doi.org/10.3846/jbem.2023.19500
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
Abdul Hamid, R. (2022). The role of employees’ technology readiness, job meaningfulness and proactive personality in adaptive performance. Sustainability, 14(23), 15696. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142315696
Aldunate, R., & Nussbaum, M. (2013). Teacher adoption of technology. Computers in Human Behavior, 29(3), 519–524. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2012.10.017
Ali, S., Ullah, H., Akbar, M., Akhtar, W., & Zahid, H. (2019). Determinants of consumer intentions to purchase energy-saving household products in Pakistan. Sustainability, 11(5), 1462. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11051462
Alleyne, T. S. (2016). Work life balance – what balance? Frontiers in Pediatrics, 3, 102. https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2015.00102
Aloulou, W. J., Amari, A., Ramadani, V., & Alboqami, A. A. N. (2023). Saudi teleworkers and determinant factors of their work-life balance and satisfaction: Testing a sequential mediation model. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 188, 122312. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2022.122312
Alyoubi, B. A., & Yamin, M. A. Y. (2019). The impact of task technology fit on employee job performance. Marketing and Management of Innovations, 4, 140–159. https://doi.org/10.21272/mmi.2019.4-12
Bednall, D. H., Valos, M., Adam, S., & McLeod, C. (2012). Getting generation Y to attend: Friends, interactivity and half-time entertainment. Sport Management Review, 15(1), 80–90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smr.2011.04.001
Bouwmeester, O., Atkinson, R., Noury, L., & Ruotsalainen, R. (2021). Work-life balance policies in high performance organisations: A comparative interview study with millennials in Dutch consultancies. German Journal of Human Resource Management, 35(1), 6–32. https://doi.org/10.1177/2397002220952738
Chan, X. W., & Tay, S. (2022). Extending work-life balance initiatives. In P. Brough, E. Gardiner, & K. Daniels (Eds.), Handbook series in occupational health sciences: Vol. 3. Handbook on management and employment practices (pp. 711–726). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-29010-8_31
Chen, A., & Karahanna, E. (2014). Boundaryless technology: Understanding the effects of technology-mediated interruptions across the boundaries between work and personal life. AIS Transactions on Human-Computer Interaction, 6(2), 16–36. https://doi.org/10.17705/1thci.00059
Chen, A., & Karahanna, E. (2018). Life interrupted: The effects of technology-mediated work interruptions on work and nonwork outcomes. MIS Quarterly, 42(4), 1023–1042.
Dabija, D. C., Câmpian, V., Pop, A. R., & Băbuț, R. (2022). Generating loyalty towards fast fashion stores: A cross-generational approach based on store attributes and socioenvironmental responsibility. Oeconomia Copernicana, 13(3), 891–934. https://doi.org/10.24136/oc.2022.026
de Boer, P., & Bordoloi, P. (2022). Nationality differences in Gen Z work values: An exploratory study. Journal of International Education in Business, 15(2), 373–392. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIEB-09-2021-0088
Gabrielova, K., & Buchko, A. A. (2021). Here comes Generation Z: Millennials as managers. Business Horizons, 64(4), 489–499. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2021.02.013
Hair, J. F., Risher, J. J., Sarstedt, M., & Ringle, C. M. (2019). When to use and how to report the results of PLS-SEM. European Business Review, 31(1), 2–24. https://doi.org/10.1108/ebr-11-2018-0203
Holden, S., & Sunindijo, R. Y. (2018). Technology, long work hours, and stress worsen work-life balance in the construction industry. International Journal of Integrated Engineering, 10(2), 13–18. https://doi.org/10.30880/ijie.2018.10.02.003
Hossain, M. I., Limon, N., Amin, M. T., & Asheq, A. S. (2018). Work life balance trends: A study on Malaysian GenerationY Bankers. IOSR Journal of Business and Management, 20(9), 1–9.
Hubbard, A. G. (2016). The effect of technology on work-life balance: Women in higher education [Master thesis]. James Madison University. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/153207985.pdf
Ivasciuc, I. S., Epuran, G., Vuță, D. R., & Tescașiu, B. (2022). Telework implications on work-life balance, productivity, and health of different generations of Romanian employees. Sustainability, 14(23), 16108. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142316108
Jorgensen, B. (2003). Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y? Policy implications for defence forces in the modern era. Foresight, 5(4), 41–49. https://doi.org/10.1108/14636680310494753
Kane, G. (2019). The technology fallacy: People are the real key to digital transformation. Research-Technology Management, 62(6), 44–49. https://doi.org/10.1080/08956308.2019.1661079
Kim, T. Y., Hon, A. H., & Crant, J. M. (2009). Proactive personality, employee creativity, and newcomer outcomes: A longitudinal study. Journal of Business and Psychology, 24, 93–103. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-009-9094-4
Kotera, Y., & Correa Vione, K. (2020). Psychological impacts of the new ways of working (NWW): A systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(14), 5080. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17145080
Kumar, K. A., & Priyadarshini, R. G. (2018, March). Study to measure the impact of social media usage on work-life balance. In IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering: Vol. 390, 012045. The 3rd International Conference on Materials and Manufacturing Engineering. Tamilnadu, India. IOP Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/390/1/012045
Kuper, H. (2020). Industry 4.0: Changes in work organization and qualification requirements – challenges for academic and vocational education. Entrepreneurship Education, 3, 119–131. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41959-020-00029-1
Lamovšek, A., Černe, M., Radević, I., & Božič, K. (2023). The key to work–life balance is (enriched) job design? Three-way interaction effects with formalization and adaptive personality characteristics. Applied Research in Quality of Life, 18, 647–676. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-022-10100-9
Lonska, J., Mietule, I., Litavniece, L., Arbidane, I., Vanadzins, I., Matisane, L., & Paegle, L. (2021). Work–life balance of the employed population during the emergency situation of COVID-19 in Latvia. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 682459. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.682459
Maçada, A. C. G., Freitas Junior, J. C. da S., Brinkhues, R. A., & Vasconcellos, S. (2022). Life interrupted, but performance improved: Rethinking the influence of technology-mediated interruptions at work and personal life. International Journal of Professional Business Review, 7(1), e0279. https://doi.org/10.26668/businessreview/2022.v7i1.279
Mahapatra, G. P., Bhullar, N., & Gupta, P. (2022). Gen Z: An emerging phenomenon. NHRD Network Journal, 15(2), 246–256. https://doi.org/10.1177/26314541221077137
Marsh, E., Vallejos, E. P., & Spence, A. (2022). The digital workplace and its dark side: An integrative review. Computers in Human Behavior, 128, 107118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2021.107118
Nasah, A., DaCosta, B., Kinsell, C., & Seok, S. (2010). The digital literacy debate: An investigation of digital propensity and information and communication technology. Educational Technology Research and Development, 58, 531–555. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-010-9151-8
Nemțeanu, M. S., Dinu, V., Pop, R. A., & Dabija, D. C. (2022). Predicting job satisfaction and work engagement behavior in the COVID-19 pandemic: A conservation of resources theory approach. E&M Economics and Management, 25(2), 23–40. https://doi.org/10.15240/tul/001/2022-2-002
Nikou, S., De Reuver, M., & Mahboob Kanafi, M. (2022). Workplace literacy skills – how information and digital literacy affect adoption of digital technology. Journal of Documentation, 78(7), 371–391. https://doi.org/10.1108/jd-12-2021-0241
Parasuraman, A. (2000). Technology Readiness Index (TRI): A multiple-item scale to measure readiness to embrace new technologies. Journal of Service Research, 2(4), 307–320. https://doi.org/10.1177/109467050024001
Park, S., & Park, S. (2019). Employee adaptive performance and its antecedents: Review and synthesis. Human Resource Development Review, 18(3), 294–324. https://doi.org/10.1177/1534484319836315
Pelau, C., Ene, I., & Pop, M. I. (2021). The impact of artificial intelligence on consumers’ identity and human skills. Amfiteatru Economic, 23(56), 33–45. https://doi.org/10.24818/EA/2021/56/33
Pop, R. A., Dabija, D. C., Pelău, C., & Dinu, V. (2022). Usage intentions, attitudes, and behaviors towards energy-efficient applications during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Business Economics and Management, 23(3), 668–689. https://doi.org/10.3846/jbem.2022.16959
Robak, E. (2017). Expectations of generation Y connected with shaping the work-life balance. The case of Poland. Oeconomia Copernicana, 8(4), 569–584. https://doi.org/10.24136/oc.v8i4.35
Rzemieniak, M., & Wawer, M. (2021). Employer branding in the context of the company’s sustainable development strategy from the perspective of gender diversity of generation Z. Sustainability, 13(2), 828. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13020828
Salo, M., Pirkkalainen, H., & Koskelainen, T. (2019). Technostress and social networking services: Explaining users’ concentration, sleep, identity, and social relation problems. Information Systems Journal, 29(2), 408–435. https://doi.org/10.1111/isj.12213
Szentesi, S. G., Cuc, L. D., Lile, R., & Cuc, P. N. (2021). Internet of Things (IoT), challenges and perspectives in Romania: A qualitative research. Amfiteatru Economic, 23(57), 448–464. https://doi.org/10.24818/EA/2021/57/448
Tams, S., Grover, V., Thatcher, J., & Ahuja, M. (2022). Grappling with modern technology: Interruptions mediated by mobile devices impact older workers disproportionately. Information Systems and e-Business Management, 20(4), 635–655. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10257-021-00526-3
Tennakoon, W. D. N. S. M., & Senarathne, R. B. C. P. (2020). Investigating the determinants of Work-Life Balance (WLB): Insights from Generation Y employees in Sri Lanka. South Asian Journal of Social Studies and Economics, 8(4), 142–154. https://doi.org/10.9734/sajsse/2020/v8i430226
Vyas, L. (2022). “New normal” at work in a post-COVID world: Work–life balance and labor markets. Policy and Society, 41(1), 155–167. https://doi.org/10.1093/polsoc/puab011
Whelan, E., Islam, N., & Brooks, S. (2017). Cognitive control and social media overload. Proceedings of the Americas Conference on Information Systems (AMCIS), 12. https://aisel.aisnet.org/amcis2017/SocialComputing/Presentations/12
Aldunate, R., & Nussbaum, M. (2013). Teacher adoption of technology. Computers in Human Behavior, 29(3), 519–524. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2012.10.017
Ali, S., Ullah, H., Akbar, M., Akhtar, W., & Zahid, H. (2019). Determinants of consumer intentions to purchase energy-saving household products in Pakistan. Sustainability, 11(5), 1462. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11051462
Alleyne, T. S. (2016). Work life balance – what balance? Frontiers in Pediatrics, 3, 102. https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2015.00102
Aloulou, W. J., Amari, A., Ramadani, V., & Alboqami, A. A. N. (2023). Saudi teleworkers and determinant factors of their work-life balance and satisfaction: Testing a sequential mediation model. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 188, 122312. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2022.122312
Alyoubi, B. A., & Yamin, M. A. Y. (2019). The impact of task technology fit on employee job performance. Marketing and Management of Innovations, 4, 140–159. https://doi.org/10.21272/mmi.2019.4-12
Bednall, D. H., Valos, M., Adam, S., & McLeod, C. (2012). Getting generation Y to attend: Friends, interactivity and half-time entertainment. Sport Management Review, 15(1), 80–90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smr.2011.04.001
Bouwmeester, O., Atkinson, R., Noury, L., & Ruotsalainen, R. (2021). Work-life balance policies in high performance organisations: A comparative interview study with millennials in Dutch consultancies. German Journal of Human Resource Management, 35(1), 6–32. https://doi.org/10.1177/2397002220952738
Chan, X. W., & Tay, S. (2022). Extending work-life balance initiatives. In P. Brough, E. Gardiner, & K. Daniels (Eds.), Handbook series in occupational health sciences: Vol. 3. Handbook on management and employment practices (pp. 711–726). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-29010-8_31
Chen, A., & Karahanna, E. (2014). Boundaryless technology: Understanding the effects of technology-mediated interruptions across the boundaries between work and personal life. AIS Transactions on Human-Computer Interaction, 6(2), 16–36. https://doi.org/10.17705/1thci.00059
Chen, A., & Karahanna, E. (2018). Life interrupted: The effects of technology-mediated work interruptions on work and nonwork outcomes. MIS Quarterly, 42(4), 1023–1042.
Dabija, D. C., Câmpian, V., Pop, A. R., & Băbuț, R. (2022). Generating loyalty towards fast fashion stores: A cross-generational approach based on store attributes and socioenvironmental responsibility. Oeconomia Copernicana, 13(3), 891–934. https://doi.org/10.24136/oc.2022.026
de Boer, P., & Bordoloi, P. (2022). Nationality differences in Gen Z work values: An exploratory study. Journal of International Education in Business, 15(2), 373–392. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIEB-09-2021-0088
Gabrielova, K., & Buchko, A. A. (2021). Here comes Generation Z: Millennials as managers. Business Horizons, 64(4), 489–499. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2021.02.013
Hair, J. F., Risher, J. J., Sarstedt, M., & Ringle, C. M. (2019). When to use and how to report the results of PLS-SEM. European Business Review, 31(1), 2–24. https://doi.org/10.1108/ebr-11-2018-0203
Holden, S., & Sunindijo, R. Y. (2018). Technology, long work hours, and stress worsen work-life balance in the construction industry. International Journal of Integrated Engineering, 10(2), 13–18. https://doi.org/10.30880/ijie.2018.10.02.003
Hossain, M. I., Limon, N., Amin, M. T., & Asheq, A. S. (2018). Work life balance trends: A study on Malaysian GenerationY Bankers. IOSR Journal of Business and Management, 20(9), 1–9.
Hubbard, A. G. (2016). The effect of technology on work-life balance: Women in higher education [Master thesis]. James Madison University. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/153207985.pdf
Ivasciuc, I. S., Epuran, G., Vuță, D. R., & Tescașiu, B. (2022). Telework implications on work-life balance, productivity, and health of different generations of Romanian employees. Sustainability, 14(23), 16108. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142316108
Jorgensen, B. (2003). Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y? Policy implications for defence forces in the modern era. Foresight, 5(4), 41–49. https://doi.org/10.1108/14636680310494753
Kane, G. (2019). The technology fallacy: People are the real key to digital transformation. Research-Technology Management, 62(6), 44–49. https://doi.org/10.1080/08956308.2019.1661079
Kim, T. Y., Hon, A. H., & Crant, J. M. (2009). Proactive personality, employee creativity, and newcomer outcomes: A longitudinal study. Journal of Business and Psychology, 24, 93–103. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-009-9094-4
Kotera, Y., & Correa Vione, K. (2020). Psychological impacts of the new ways of working (NWW): A systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(14), 5080. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17145080
Kumar, K. A., & Priyadarshini, R. G. (2018, March). Study to measure the impact of social media usage on work-life balance. In IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering: Vol. 390, 012045. The 3rd International Conference on Materials and Manufacturing Engineering. Tamilnadu, India. IOP Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/390/1/012045
Kuper, H. (2020). Industry 4.0: Changes in work organization and qualification requirements – challenges for academic and vocational education. Entrepreneurship Education, 3, 119–131. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41959-020-00029-1
Lamovšek, A., Černe, M., Radević, I., & Božič, K. (2023). The key to work–life balance is (enriched) job design? Three-way interaction effects with formalization and adaptive personality characteristics. Applied Research in Quality of Life, 18, 647–676. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-022-10100-9
Lonska, J., Mietule, I., Litavniece, L., Arbidane, I., Vanadzins, I., Matisane, L., & Paegle, L. (2021). Work–life balance of the employed population during the emergency situation of COVID-19 in Latvia. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 682459. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.682459
Maçada, A. C. G., Freitas Junior, J. C. da S., Brinkhues, R. A., & Vasconcellos, S. (2022). Life interrupted, but performance improved: Rethinking the influence of technology-mediated interruptions at work and personal life. International Journal of Professional Business Review, 7(1), e0279. https://doi.org/10.26668/businessreview/2022.v7i1.279
Mahapatra, G. P., Bhullar, N., & Gupta, P. (2022). Gen Z: An emerging phenomenon. NHRD Network Journal, 15(2), 246–256. https://doi.org/10.1177/26314541221077137
Marsh, E., Vallejos, E. P., & Spence, A. (2022). The digital workplace and its dark side: An integrative review. Computers in Human Behavior, 128, 107118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2021.107118
Nasah, A., DaCosta, B., Kinsell, C., & Seok, S. (2010). The digital literacy debate: An investigation of digital propensity and information and communication technology. Educational Technology Research and Development, 58, 531–555. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-010-9151-8
Nemțeanu, M. S., Dinu, V., Pop, R. A., & Dabija, D. C. (2022). Predicting job satisfaction and work engagement behavior in the COVID-19 pandemic: A conservation of resources theory approach. E&M Economics and Management, 25(2), 23–40. https://doi.org/10.15240/tul/001/2022-2-002
Nikou, S., De Reuver, M., & Mahboob Kanafi, M. (2022). Workplace literacy skills – how information and digital literacy affect adoption of digital technology. Journal of Documentation, 78(7), 371–391. https://doi.org/10.1108/jd-12-2021-0241
Parasuraman, A. (2000). Technology Readiness Index (TRI): A multiple-item scale to measure readiness to embrace new technologies. Journal of Service Research, 2(4), 307–320. https://doi.org/10.1177/109467050024001
Park, S., & Park, S. (2019). Employee adaptive performance and its antecedents: Review and synthesis. Human Resource Development Review, 18(3), 294–324. https://doi.org/10.1177/1534484319836315
Pelau, C., Ene, I., & Pop, M. I. (2021). The impact of artificial intelligence on consumers’ identity and human skills. Amfiteatru Economic, 23(56), 33–45. https://doi.org/10.24818/EA/2021/56/33
Pop, R. A., Dabija, D. C., Pelău, C., & Dinu, V. (2022). Usage intentions, attitudes, and behaviors towards energy-efficient applications during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Business Economics and Management, 23(3), 668–689. https://doi.org/10.3846/jbem.2022.16959
Robak, E. (2017). Expectations of generation Y connected with shaping the work-life balance. The case of Poland. Oeconomia Copernicana, 8(4), 569–584. https://doi.org/10.24136/oc.v8i4.35
Rzemieniak, M., & Wawer, M. (2021). Employer branding in the context of the company’s sustainable development strategy from the perspective of gender diversity of generation Z. Sustainability, 13(2), 828. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13020828
Salo, M., Pirkkalainen, H., & Koskelainen, T. (2019). Technostress and social networking services: Explaining users’ concentration, sleep, identity, and social relation problems. Information Systems Journal, 29(2), 408–435. https://doi.org/10.1111/isj.12213
Szentesi, S. G., Cuc, L. D., Lile, R., & Cuc, P. N. (2021). Internet of Things (IoT), challenges and perspectives in Romania: A qualitative research. Amfiteatru Economic, 23(57), 448–464. https://doi.org/10.24818/EA/2021/57/448
Tams, S., Grover, V., Thatcher, J., & Ahuja, M. (2022). Grappling with modern technology: Interruptions mediated by mobile devices impact older workers disproportionately. Information Systems and e-Business Management, 20(4), 635–655. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10257-021-00526-3
Tennakoon, W. D. N. S. M., & Senarathne, R. B. C. P. (2020). Investigating the determinants of Work-Life Balance (WLB): Insights from Generation Y employees in Sri Lanka. South Asian Journal of Social Studies and Economics, 8(4), 142–154. https://doi.org/10.9734/sajsse/2020/v8i430226
Vyas, L. (2022). “New normal” at work in a post-COVID world: Work–life balance and labor markets. Policy and Society, 41(1), 155–167. https://doi.org/10.1093/polsoc/puab011
Whelan, E., Islam, N., & Brooks, S. (2017). Cognitive control and social media overload. Proceedings of the Americas Conference on Information Systems (AMCIS), 12. https://aisel.aisnet.org/amcis2017/SocialComputing/Presentations/12