Too much technology overwhelms me! A moderated mediation model of technology overload and digital transformation readiness

Purpose This study examines how technology overload influences employees' digital transformation readiness in Pakistan's banking sector. Drawing on job demands–resources theory, it investigates AI self-efficacy as a mediating personal resource and basic need satisfaction as a buffering psychological resource. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 239 banking employees through a quantitative three-wave time-lagged survey design. Technology overload was measured at Time 1, AI self-efficacy and basic need satisfaction at Time 2, and digital transformation readiness at Time 3. Confirmatory factor analysis, PROCESS Model 4, and PROCESS Model 7 were used to test the proposed relationships. Findings Technology overload negatively influenced digital transformation readiness. AI self-efficacy positively influenced digital transformation readiness and partially mediated the relationship between technology overload and digital transformation readiness. Basic need satisfaction weakened the negative effect of technology overload on AI self-efficacy and reduced the negative indirect effect of technology overload on digital transformation readiness through AI self-efficacy. Originality/value This study extends technostress and digital transformation research by showing that technology overload is not only a strain-related problem but also a barrier to employees' readiness for digital change. It further advances JD-R theory by identifying AI self-efficacy as a personal resource and basic need satisfaction as a protective resource in AI-enabled banking work.