Bytes and bureaucracy: unraveling the relationship between digital overload and job attitudes in the public sector

Purpose This study investigates the impact of digital overload on job satisfaction and commitment among Nigerian public sector employees and examines the moderating role of organizational culture. Design/methodology/approach Survey data were collected from purposively sampled Nigerian federal civil servants and analyzed using PLS-SEM. Findings Results confirm digital overload’s negative relationships with job satisfaction and commitment. Supportive organizational cultures buffered these adverse effects. Research limitations/implications The cross-sectional design limits causal inferences. Future longitudinal studies could provide stronger evidence of relationships over time. Practical implications Findings highlight the need to strengthen institutional values of employee care, involvement and development to mitigate digital overload’s negative impacts during public sector digitalization. Originality/value This study provides novel insights into digital overload’s effects in an understudied developing country public sector context, revealing organizational culture’s crucial moderating role.