Do digital fatigue and psychological safety influence faculty retention? Examining the roles of advocacy behavior and green HR practices

Type of the article: Research ArticleIn the rapidly evolving digital landscape, faculty members in higher education face rising issues linked to digital fatigue. The present study investigates the impact of Digital Fatigue and Psychological Safety on Faculty Retention, examining the mediating role of Employee Advocacy Behavior and the moderating effect of Green HR Practices. A survey was conducted using a structured questionnaire during the period January-February 2025, collecting 454 responses from faculty members of private higher education institutions offering undergraduate and postgraduate programs in the educational hub of Southern Karnataka state, India. These “emerging clusters” were chosen because they have increased digitization, internet penetration, and a strong cultural legacy, all of which are expected to drive faculties away from traditional teaching methods. The mediation and moderation were analyzed utilizing confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to check the model fit and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to test hypothetical relationships. The study reveals that Digital Fatigue affects Employee Advocacy and Faculty Retention, while Psychological Safety enhances both (β = 0.475; β = 0.238). Employee Advocacy mediates these effects, strengthening retention outcomes. Further, Green HR Practices significantly enhance retention (β = 0.444) and moderate the effects of Digital Fatigue (β = 0.188) and Psychological Safety (β = 0.224), highlighting their role in mitigating fatigue and strengthening institutional commitment. This study highlights the importance of policymakers and institutional leaders to position faculty retention as a strategic priority and thereby ensure educators receive the necessary support to thrive in an ever-advancing digital existence with high expectations.