Digital anxiety in construction: the mediating role of technological job insecurity and the buffering effect of transformational leadership

Purpose This study examines the effects of intelligent organizational change on innovation performance, with a particular focus on the mediating role of technological job insecurity and the moderating influence of transformational leadership. As organizations increasingly adopt intelligent technologies, concerns about job security and skill obsolescence among employees are heightened, which may undermine their innovative capacity. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from a sample of 275 employees working in the construction engineering sector in China, an industry that is actively pursuing intelligent transformation and digitalization. Hierarchical regression analysis and PROCESS bootstrapping procedures were employed to test the hypothesized relationships among intelligent organizational transformation, technological job insecurity, innovation performance, and transformational leadership. Findings The findings demonstrate that intelligent organizational change is positively associated with heightened technological job insecurity, which, in turn, exerts a detrimental effect on innovation performance. However, the presence of transformational leadership significantly moderates this relationship, buffering the negative impact of job insecurity and fostering higher levels of innovation performance. Originality/value This study makes a novel contribution to the literature on organizational change and innovation by highlighting the psychological implications of intelligent technological transformations on employees in the construction engineering industry. It also underscores the critical role of transformational leadership in mitigating job insecurity and promoting innovation during periods of organizational transition. The results provide actionable insights for managers seeking to enhance innovation outcomes in environments characterized by rapid technological change.