Features of technology and its linkages with turnover intention and work exhaustion among IT professionals: A multi-study investigation

Abstract

Technology is central to the work-life of professionals in the information technology (IT) domain. However, inadequate attention has been paid to technology as an antecedent of IT professionals' work outcomes, such as turnover intention and work exhaustion. In the present work, we conducted a mixed-method study. In Study 1, we used an inductive qualitative approach to explore features of technology from the career perspective of IT professionals. We explain how perception about the features of technology influences IT professionals' work outcomes. Based on semi-structured interviews of 35 IT professionals, we found three features (long-term consequence, perceived challenge, and technology-related uncertainty) on which IT professionals assess and evaluate a given technology. Subsequently, in Study 2, we used the Expectation Disconfirmation Theory (EDT) as the framework to develop a model to measure the perceived misfit between 'expected' and 'experienced' features of technology and test its impact on IT professionals' turnover intention and work exhaustion. The study provides valuable insights for the management of IT professionals. © 2022 Elsevier Ltd