Abstract:

Background: Strategic Importance of information and communication technology ICT and its prioritization determines how firms invest in: 1. Implementation of digitalization; 2. Implementation of virtualization; 3. Implementation of augmented reality. While digitalization and virtualization enhance company performance, it is frequently associated with increased work intensity for its employees. This study addresses research gaps in bivariate models by examining the mediating effect of above listed specific investment into technological implementations between strategic ICT importance and employee workload.

Methods: Data were collected via an electronic questionnaire from 286 Slovakian companies. Using a quantitative approach, the study tested mediation models where the strategic importance of ICT served as the predictor, and work intensity/load served as the dependent variable. Three mediators were analyzed:  1. digitalization, 2. virtualization, and 3. augmented reality.

Results: The strategic importance of ICT has a significant positive impact on all technological implementations (mediators). Mediation analysis confirmed that digitalization and virtualization are statistically significant partial mediators of the relationship between the importance of  ICT and employee workload. Digitalization accounts for 29.19% of the total mediation effect, while virtualization accounts only for 21.60%. The mediation effect of augmented reality was not confirmed.

Conclusion: Organizations prioritizing ICT strategy experiences significant higher technological implementation, which subsequently increases employee work intensity. Management must acknowledge that while digitalization drives efficiency, it fundamentally alters job conditions toward intensification.