Digital literacy and technostress as dual pathways linking work-from-home practices to employee performance: Evidence from the post-digital workplace

The primary objective of this study was to assess employee performance among individuals working remotely, considering the mediating role of digital literacy and the moderating influence of technostress within public universities in Malaysia. A structured questionnaire was used to gather 320 responses from university lecturers. The data were analyzed using the partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) technique through smartPLS-4. The findings indicate that work-from-home (WFH) does not exhibit a direct significant relationship with employee performance, except for an indirect relationship mediated by digital literacy. Conversely, technostress significantly and negatively moderated the relationship between digital literacy and employee performance. Moreover, technostress moderated the indirect relationship between WFH and employee performance through digital literacy. Consequently, digital literacy is essential for the successful implementation of effective work-from-home strategies that enhance employee performance and well-being at work. University management should prioritize enhancing digital literacy before implementing remote work strategies. Additionally, management should address employee technostress levels, as it can influence both digital literacy and employee performance. Future research should explore these findings in other service sectors, such as information technology and customer services.