Internal branding and technostress among employees - the mediation role of employee wellbeing and moderating effects of digital internal communication

Integrating technology with communication makes work comfortable, but it simultaneously interrupts employees' personal life. Internal branding strategies attempts to improve employee's psychological and physiological wellbeing, yet the extensive integration of technology with work and workplace activities posit serious challenges in the form of technostress. In the context of communication, digital tools and mode of work increases efficiency, yet their impact of wellbeing and technostress experienced by employees needs to be examined.

The present study aims to analyze the impact of internal branding on employee wellbeing and technostress under the influence of digital internal communication. The paper also examines if digital internal communication can moderate the impact of internal branding on employee wellbeing and also the impact of employee wellbeing on technostress experienced at workplace. The mediation effect of employee wellbeing between internal branding and technostress is also analyzed.

The conceptual model was built on the premises of job demands-resources theory, technology acceptance model, and transactional theory of stress and coping. Data collected from 401 employees from information technology sector was analyzed using Smart PLS4. Results of structural and measurement model using PLS SEM indicate that internal branding improves wellbeing and reduces technostress under the influence of digital internal communication. Employee wellbeing is found to mediate the impact of internal branding as well as digital internal communication on technostress. Findings support the moderating effects of digital internal communication in reducing technostress and improving employee wellbeing. The hypothesised research model integrates three theories making a novel contribution by analysing wellbeing and technostress and exploring internal branding and internal communication in the digital context.