Do Technologies Damage Our Personal Life? The Association of Technostress and Work-Life Fit for Employees’ Psychological Well-Being: A Cross-Cultural Mediation Model

Abstract

Introduction: The integration of information and communication technologies (ICTs) into the daily and professional lives of individuals has a significant impact on their psychological well-being. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to gain novel insights into the relationships between technostress, psychological well-being and work-life fit, as well as the cultural differences between Maltese and Italian employees. Methods: The study sample consisted of 362 workers, with equal representation from both countries, who completed an online survey from March to April 2023. The mean age of the participants was 43.36 years (SD = 11.51). A series of psychometric self-report instruments were used to assess the study variables. t-tests and mediation analyses were conducted to compare the new theoretical model across groups. Results: The results indicated that the Maltese group scored higher on technostress, techno-invasion, and work-life interface than the Italian group. However, the Maltese group scored lower on work-life improvement, perceived social support from family and friends, life satisfaction, and self-esteem compared to the Italian group. Finally, our findings support the indirect effect of technostress on the indicators of psychological well-being mediated by work/personal life enhancement for both the whole and Maltese sample, but only partially for the Italian group. Conclusions: This paper provides further insight into the impact of ICTs on employees’ work and personal lives, while highlighting the significant cultural differences between countries. It is crucial to promote the healthy use of ICTs in the workplace while ensuring an appropriate work-life fit. Finally, a culture-oriented perspective was emphasized.