DIGITAL DETOX INTERVENTIONS AND EMPLOYEE PRODUCTIVITY: THE EFFECT ON WELL-BEING AND ENGAGEMENT ON THE PAKISTANI ORGANIZATIONS

Abstract

Digital overload of digital technologies that have now become very common in contemporary workplaces is accompanied by cognitive load, emotional exhaustion, and low productivity. Digital detox, which is a form of interventional reduction on the use of digital devices, has been suggested as a way of curbing these effects. This paper focuses on exploring how digital detox interventions can influence the productivity and well-being of employees in Pakistani organizations and also how employee engagement moderates this relationship. The survey was performed as a cross-sectional survey of 620 employees working in various fields (banking, IT/telecom, healthcare, education, and the public administration). Validated and free instruments were used to collect the data: Digital Detox Behavior Scale, Individual Work Performance Questionnaire (IWPQ), WHO-5 Well-Being Index, and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-9). Correlation and regression analyses demonstrated that the employee productivity (r =.42, p <.01), well-being (r =.56, p <.01), and engagement (r =.48, p <.01) have a positive correlation with digital detox interventions. Also, relationships between engagement and digital detox were moderating therefore increasing the advantages of digital detox on both productivity and well-being. These results are in line with the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, which indicates that recovery-centered organizational resources together with personal engagement would positively impact the outcomes of work. The research also offers specific implications to apply the digital wellness programs within the hierarchical and high-demand workplaces, proving that planned digital breaks can enhance simultaneously the productivity, well-being, and engagement in the Pakistani organizations.