BEYOND WORKLOAD: THE DIRECT EFFECT OF DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE INSTABILITY AND AFTER-HOURS CONNECTIVITY ON IT PROFESSIONAL TURNOVER

Abstract

Purpose: This study examined the differential effects of infrastructural instability, after-hours connectivity pressure, and quantitative workload on turnover intention among information technology professionals employed in the fast-moving consumer goods and banking sectors of developing countries.

Methodology: A quantitative, cross-sectional survey design was employed, collecting data from 150 IT practitioners through a structured, self-administered questionnaire. Standard Multiple Linear Regression was utilized to assess the independent contributions of each predictor variable to turnover intention.

Findings: Quantitative workload (β = 0.457, p < 0.001) and after-hours connectivity pressure (β = 0.447, p < 0.001) emerged as significant, positive predictors of turnover intention. Contrary to expectations, infrastructural instability demonstrated a negligible and statistically non-significant effect (β = 0.002, p = 0.979). All constructs exhibited satisfactory internal consistency, with Cronbach's alpha values ranging from 0.812 to 0.897.

Practical Implications: Organizations should prioritize workload regulation and codify formal boundaries governing after-hours digital communication to mitigate attrition risks. Investment in backup power and connectivity solutions, while beneficial for operational continuity, may not directly reduce turnover intentions as employees appear habituated to infrastructural deficiencies.

Originality/Value: This research extends technostress and turnover literature into an infrastructurally challenged developing economy context, challenging the universal applicability of Western-centric models. It empirically isolates infrastructural and cultural digital stressors from conventional workload measures, offering context-sensitive evidence for HR policy formulation in the IT sector of the developing countries.