Technology adoption and employees’ performance: the moderating role of coronaphobia

Purpose This paper assesses the direct influence of technology adoption on employee performance and the moderating role of coronaphobia. The need to address post-pandemic challenges that affect organisational members and hamper effectiveness and progress was the central motivation for the study. Although COVID-19 cases have declined, the psychological impact on employees remains a significant concern, particularly in sectors like banking, where customer interaction and technology adoption are integral to daily operations. Design/methodology/approach A dataset from a sample of 328 bank employees was gathered and analysed with the aid of Hayes Process Macros. Findings It was found that perceived usefulness and ease of use of technology both have a direct and significant positive effect on employees' performance and are moderated negatively by coronaphobia. Originality/value This paper adds value to human resource and organisational psychology literature as it explores an integrative model that addresses current workplace challenges. As a contribution to knowledge, the study validates TAM as a theory that can be used to explain the moderating role of coronaphobia on technology adoption and employees' performance in banks.