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Balancing digital demands: the buffering role of trait self-esteem against technology addiction's harmful effects

Qian Wang et al.

Employee Relations2026https://doi.org/10.1108/er-10-2025-0865article
AJG 2ABDC A
Weight
0.50

Abstract

Purpose The research aims to investigate the outcomes of technology addiction, including productivity and wellbeing among hospitality industry workers. Drawing on ego depletion theory, we explored ego depletion among workers as an underlying mechanism and workers' trait self-esteem as a boundary condition on the associations we theorized. Design/methodology/approach We conducted a three-wave, time-lagged electronic research survey to collect data from 273 full-time workers of star hotels in the People's Republic of China. Findings Results revealed that workers' technology addiction positively influences their ego depletion and is negatively associated with their productivity and wellbeing levels. Concerning mediated relationships, ego depletion was found to be an underlying psychological mechanism in the association between technology addiction and employee productivity. In addition, we found that employee trait self-esteem moderates the direct associations between technology addiction and (1) ego depletion and (2) productivity, and the mediated association between technology addiction and employee productivity through ego depletion, such that the associations are weak at the higher level of trait self-esteem. Originality/value This study contributes to helping managers achieve workers' productivity and wellbeing while understanding the influence of technology addiction and ego depletion among hospitality workers.

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https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1108/er-10-2025-0865

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@article{qian2026,
  title        = {{Balancing digital demands: the buffering role of trait self-esteem against technology addiction's harmful effects}},
  author       = {Qian Wang et al.},
  journal      = {Employee Relations},
  year         = {2026},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1108/er-10-2025-0865},
}

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Evidence weight

0.50

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20
M · momentum0.50 × 0.15 = 0.07
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

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