Employee Technology Use for Work: A Structured Integrative Review of Empirical Studies and Future Research Agenda for Human Resource Development

Research on employee technology use for work within HRD–related literature has produced numerous overlapping constructs, resulting in conceptual ambiguity and mixed findings that risk fragmenting the field. To address this issue, this paper conducts a structured integrative literature review of employee technology use for work. The review identifies two broad domains—technology use at work and work-related technology use at non-work—and four overlapping research streams: information and communication technology use, social media use, mobile device use, and computer-mediated communication. It synthesizes associated constructs, definitions, and measurement across these streams and integrates prior research on theoretical perspectives, mechanisms, boundary conditions, and outcomes. Building on this synthesis, the paper develops a theoretical framework to explain why prior findings appear mixed and when employee technology use is more likely to function as a resource or a demand for HRD-related outcomes. Finally, it outlines directions for future research and HRD practice.