Digital employee experience and organizational performance: a study of the telecommunications sector in Oman
Abstract
Purpose – The study aims at assessing the effect of digital employee experience on organisational performance, particularly in the telecommunications sector in the Sultanate of Oman, using quantitative and qualitative analysis.
Research methodology – The techniques used in this empirical research include scientific literature analysis, correlation analysis, multiple regression, and sentiment analysis.
Findings – The results indicate that organisational performance has a higher association with elements of the digital employee experience like work environment, organisational culture, training availability, technology accessibility, digital tool usability, and leadership support and is statistically significant at the 5% level. Also, 80% of respondents were favourable or indifferent about their digital experience.
Research limitations – The study exclusively covers Oman’s telecoms industry and six important digital employee experience elements, so additional factors and industries may be examined further. A direct interview may improve findings since self-reported responses from individuals with demanding work schedules may be biased.
Practical implications – Telecommunication companies must increase their efforts to engage employees in the use of digital tools and encourage their employees to utilise the different digital technologies.
Originality/Value – The study investigated the six elements of the digital experience of telecom employees and its impact on organisational performance with multiple regression and sentiment analysis.
Keyword : digital employee experience, digital tool usability, organizational culture, work environment, organizational performance
How to Cite
Porkodi, S., Al Balushi, S. S. K., Al Balushi, M. K. M., Al Hadi, K. O. R., & Al Balushi, Z. I. M. (2023). Digital employee experience and organizational performance: a study of the telecommunications sector in Oman. Business, Management and Economics Engineering, 21(2), 248–268. https://doi.org/10.3846/bmee.2023.19498
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
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Kareem, H. M., Aziz, K. A., Maelah, R., Yunus, Y. M., & Dauwed, M. (2019). Organizational performance in Iraqi SMEs: Validity and reliability questionnaire. Academy of Accounting and Financial Studies Journal, 23(6), 1–16. https://www.abacademies.org/articles/Organizational-Performance-in-Iraqi-SMEs-Validity-1528-2635-23-6-498.pdf
Kurdi, B., & Alshurideh, M. (2020). Employee retention and organizational performance: Evidence from banking industry. Management Science Letters, 10(16), 3981–3990. https://doi.org/10.5267/j.msl.2020.7.011
Martínez-Caro, E., Cegarra-Navarro, J. G., & Alfonso-Ruiz, F. J. (2020). Digital technologies and firm performance: The role of digital organisational culture. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 154, Article 119962. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2020.119962
Meng, J., Reber, B. H., & Rogers, H. (2017). Managing millennial communication professionals: Connecting generation attributes, leadership development, and employee engagement. Acta Prosperitatis, 8(1), 68–83. https://www.turiba.lv/storage/files/8-acta.pdf#page=69
Moganadas, S. R., & Goh, G. G. G. (2022). Digital employee experience constructs and measurement framework: A review and synthesis. International Journal of Technology, 13(5), 999–1012. https://doi.org/10.14716/ijtech.v13i5.5830
Molino, M., Cortese, C. G., & Ghislieri, C. (2020). The promotion of technology acceptance and work engagement in industry 4.0: From personal resources to information and training. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(7), Article 2438. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17072438
Paderna, R. D., Guiveses, M. L., Ong, S. J., & Tsai, J. L. (2020). Improving employee experience in a medium-sized retail chain through quality human resource management practices: Does bifurcation bias in family firms moderate the nexus?. Review of Integrative Business and Economics Research, 9, 62–79. http://buscompress.com/uploads/3/4/9/8/34980536/riber_9-s1_05_b19-057_62-79.pdf
Pandurengan, V., Al-Balushi, A. K., Al, S. N., & Jurčić, A. (2022). Structural equation modelling (SEM) to test emotional intelligence as a mediating variable between transformation leadership and employee performance: Telecommunication sector in Sultanate of Oman. Serbian Journal of Engineering Management, 7(1), 64–76. https://doi.org/10.5937/SJEM2201064P
Pires, C. (2017). Analysis of how companies should prepare to recruit and manage Generation Z. The Honors Program. Bryant University.
Porkodi, S., & Ghosal, S. (2015). Determinants of employee engagement in Oman private companies. Research Journal of Commerce and Behavioural Science, 5(2), 22–31.
Porkodi, S., & Jahan, U. (2022). The role of employer branding in employee engagement and employee satisfaction via organization commitment: A case study from the banking sector. Advances and Applications in Mathematical Sciences, 21(8), 4493–4514.
Porkodi, S., & Tabash, B. K. H. (2022). Reforming the activities of leaders for professional level employee engagement: A blue ocean leadership approach. Journal of Information & Knowledge Management, 21(Supp02), Article 2240025. https://doi.org/10.1142/S0219649222400251
Porkodi, S. Al Balushi, S. S. K., Al Balushi, M. K. M., Al Hadi, K. O. R., & Al Balushi, Z. I. M. (2023a). Assessing the effects of influential factors and demographic traits on the digital employee experience in Oman’s telecommunications industry. International Journal of Social Science and Human Research, 6(7), 4280–4289. https://doi.org/10.47191/ijsshr/v6-i7-53
Porkodi, S., Saranya, R., Sultana, A., & Mittal, P. (2023b). Assessing the impact of collaborative learning practices on competency development in entrepreneurship program: A study of higher education students in Delhi NCR region of India. Journal of Information & Knowledge Management. https://doi.org/10.1142/S0219649223500211
Rahmadani, V. G., Schaufeli, W. B., Ivanova, T. Y., & Osin, E. N. (2019). Basic psychological need satisfaction mediates the relationship between engaging leadership and work engagement: A cross‐national study. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 30(4), 453–471. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrdq.21366
Ravasi, D., & Schultz, M. (2006). Responding to organizational identity threats: Exploring the role of organizational culture. Academy of Management Journal, 49(3), 433–458. https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2006.21794663
Robertson, J. (2018). Digital employee experience is where the action will be. CMSWIRE. https://www.cmswire.com/digital-workplace/digital-employee-experience-is-where-the-action-will-be/
Sońta, M. (2021). Designing playful employee experience through serious play–reflections from pre-pandemic corporate learning events in Poland. Journal of Work-Applied Management. https://doi.org/10.1108/JWAM-01-2021-0011
Stone, D. L., Deadrick, D. L., Lukaszewski, K. M., & Johnson, R. (2015). The influence of technology on the future of human resource management. Human Resource Management Review, 25(2), 216–231. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2015.01.002
Sudrajat, D., Larasati, A., Farmania, A., Andri Yulius Caesar, L., & Moeke, D. (2021, July). Does digital employee experience matters for employee service orientation, ambidexterity, and agility?. In The 2021 12th International Conference on E-business, Management and Economics (pp. 672–677). https://doi.org/10.1145/3481127.3481240
Syahchari, D. H., Herlina, M. G., Saroso, H., Sudrajat, D., & Jordaan, H. K. (2021, August). The influence of digital employee experience and employee agility: Do they boost firm’s effectiveness?. In 2021 International Conference on Information Management and Technology (ICIMTech) (Vol. 1, pp. 67–71). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICIMTech53080.2021.9534976
Taheri, R. H., Miah, M. S., & Kamaruzzaman, M. (2020). Impact of working environment on job satisfaction. European Journal of Business and Management Research, 5(6), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.24018/ejbmr.2020.5.6.643
Tucker, E. (2020). Driving engagement with the employee experience. Strategic HR Review, 19(4), 183–187. https://doi.org/10.1108/SHR-03-2020-0023
Wiles, J. (2022). 9 questions that should be in every employee engagement survey. Gartner. https://www.gartner.com/smarterwithgartner/the-9-questions-that-should-be-in-every-employee-engagement-survey
Wilson, H. J., & Daugherty, P. R. (2018). Collaborative intelligence: Humans and AI are joining forces. Harvard Business Review, 96(4), 114–123. https://hometownhealthonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/ai2-R1804J-PDF-ENG.pdf
Al Jabri, H. A., Al-Badi, A. H., & Ali, O. (2017). Exploring the usage of big data analytical tools in telecommunication industry in Oman. Information Resources Management Journal (IRMJ), 30(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.4018/IRMJ.2017010101
Burnett, J. R., & Lisk, T. C. (2019). The future of employee engagement: Real-time monitoring and digital tools for engaging a workforce. International Studies of Management & Organization, 49(1), 108–119. https://doi.org/10.1080/00208825.2019.1565097
Carminati, L. (2018). Generalizability in qualitative research: A tale of two traditions. Qualitative Health Research, 28(13), 2094–2101. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732318788379
Chandwani, J., Shah, D., & Shaikh, A. (2021). A study on role of digital technologies and employee experience. In P. K. Singh, Z. Polkowski, S. Tanwar, S. K. Pandey, G. Matei, & D. Pirvu (Eds.), Innovations in information and communication technologies (pp. 15–25). Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-66218-9_2
Daniel, W. W. (1999). Biostatistics: A foundation for analysis in the health sciences (7th ed). John Wiley & Sons.
Dash, D., Farooq, R., Panda, J. S., & Sandhyavani, K. V. (2019). Internet of Things (IoT): The new paradigm of HRM and skill development in the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0). IUP Journal of Information Technology, 15(4).
Deloitte Insights. (2019). The rise of the social enterprise: Where performance meets purpose. https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/insights/us/articles/HCTrends2018/2018-HCtrends_Rise-of-the-social-enterprise.pdf
Dhanpat, N., Makgamatha, K., Monageng, R., & Sigawuki, K. (2022). COVID-19: Employee experience and adjustment at a state owned company in South Africa. SAGE Open, 12(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440221102435
Gobo, G. (2004). Sampling, representativeness and generalizability. In C. Seale, G. Gobo, J. F. Gubrium, & D. Silverman (Eds.), Qualitative research practice (pp. 405–426). Sage. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781848608191.d34
Enosh, G., Tzafrir, S. S., & Stolovy, T. (2015). The development of client violence questionnaire (CVQ). Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 9(3), 273–290. https://doi.org/10.1177/1558689814525263
Gheidar, Y., & ShamiZanjani, M. (2020). Conceptualizing the digital employee experience. Strategic HR Review, 19(3), 131–135. https://doi.org/10.1108/SHR-01-2020-0004
Gheidar, Y., & ShamiZanjani, M. (2021). Designing a conceptual framework for digital employee experience. Iranian Journal of Management Studies, 14(4), 669–680. https://doi.org/10.22059/IJMS.2020.305871.674131
Gochhayat, J., Giri, V. N., & Suar, D. (2017). Influence of organizational culture on organizational effectiveness: The mediating role of organizational communication. Global Business Review, 18(3), 691–702. https://doi.org/10.1177/0972150917692185
Hayes, A. (2022). Stratified random sampling. Investopedia. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/stratified_random_sampling.asp
Hee, O. C., Yan, L. H., Rizal, A. M., Kowang, T. O., & Fei, G. C. (2018). Factors influencing employee job satisfaction: A conceptual analysis. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 8(6), 331–340. https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v8-i6/4207
Ingham, J. (2017). The social organization: Developing employee connections and relationships for improved business performance. Kogan Page Publishers.
Ismail Al‐Alawi, A., Yousif Al‐Marzooqi, N., & Fraidoon Mohammed, Y. (2007). Organizational culture and knowledge sharing: Critical success factors. Journal of Knowledge Management, 11(2), 22–42. https://doi.org/10.1108/13673270710738898
Kareem, H. M., Aziz, K. A., Maelah, R., Yunus, Y. M., & Dauwed, M. (2019). Organizational performance in Iraqi SMEs: Validity and reliability questionnaire. Academy of Accounting and Financial Studies Journal, 23(6), 1–16. https://www.abacademies.org/articles/Organizational-Performance-in-Iraqi-SMEs-Validity-1528-2635-23-6-498.pdf
Kurdi, B., & Alshurideh, M. (2020). Employee retention and organizational performance: Evidence from banking industry. Management Science Letters, 10(16), 3981–3990. https://doi.org/10.5267/j.msl.2020.7.011
Martínez-Caro, E., Cegarra-Navarro, J. G., & Alfonso-Ruiz, F. J. (2020). Digital technologies and firm performance: The role of digital organisational culture. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 154, Article 119962. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2020.119962
Meng, J., Reber, B. H., & Rogers, H. (2017). Managing millennial communication professionals: Connecting generation attributes, leadership development, and employee engagement. Acta Prosperitatis, 8(1), 68–83. https://www.turiba.lv/storage/files/8-acta.pdf#page=69
Moganadas, S. R., & Goh, G. G. G. (2022). Digital employee experience constructs and measurement framework: A review and synthesis. International Journal of Technology, 13(5), 999–1012. https://doi.org/10.14716/ijtech.v13i5.5830
Molino, M., Cortese, C. G., & Ghislieri, C. (2020). The promotion of technology acceptance and work engagement in industry 4.0: From personal resources to information and training. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(7), Article 2438. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17072438
Paderna, R. D., Guiveses, M. L., Ong, S. J., & Tsai, J. L. (2020). Improving employee experience in a medium-sized retail chain through quality human resource management practices: Does bifurcation bias in family firms moderate the nexus?. Review of Integrative Business and Economics Research, 9, 62–79. http://buscompress.com/uploads/3/4/9/8/34980536/riber_9-s1_05_b19-057_62-79.pdf
Pandurengan, V., Al-Balushi, A. K., Al, S. N., & Jurčić, A. (2022). Structural equation modelling (SEM) to test emotional intelligence as a mediating variable between transformation leadership and employee performance: Telecommunication sector in Sultanate of Oman. Serbian Journal of Engineering Management, 7(1), 64–76. https://doi.org/10.5937/SJEM2201064P
Pires, C. (2017). Analysis of how companies should prepare to recruit and manage Generation Z. The Honors Program. Bryant University.
Porkodi, S., & Ghosal, S. (2015). Determinants of employee engagement in Oman private companies. Research Journal of Commerce and Behavioural Science, 5(2), 22–31.
Porkodi, S., & Jahan, U. (2022). The role of employer branding in employee engagement and employee satisfaction via organization commitment: A case study from the banking sector. Advances and Applications in Mathematical Sciences, 21(8), 4493–4514.
Porkodi, S., & Tabash, B. K. H. (2022). Reforming the activities of leaders for professional level employee engagement: A blue ocean leadership approach. Journal of Information & Knowledge Management, 21(Supp02), Article 2240025. https://doi.org/10.1142/S0219649222400251
Porkodi, S. Al Balushi, S. S. K., Al Balushi, M. K. M., Al Hadi, K. O. R., & Al Balushi, Z. I. M. (2023a). Assessing the effects of influential factors and demographic traits on the digital employee experience in Oman’s telecommunications industry. International Journal of Social Science and Human Research, 6(7), 4280–4289. https://doi.org/10.47191/ijsshr/v6-i7-53
Porkodi, S., Saranya, R., Sultana, A., & Mittal, P. (2023b). Assessing the impact of collaborative learning practices on competency development in entrepreneurship program: A study of higher education students in Delhi NCR region of India. Journal of Information & Knowledge Management. https://doi.org/10.1142/S0219649223500211
Rahmadani, V. G., Schaufeli, W. B., Ivanova, T. Y., & Osin, E. N. (2019). Basic psychological need satisfaction mediates the relationship between engaging leadership and work engagement: A cross‐national study. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 30(4), 453–471. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrdq.21366
Ravasi, D., & Schultz, M. (2006). Responding to organizational identity threats: Exploring the role of organizational culture. Academy of Management Journal, 49(3), 433–458. https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2006.21794663
Robertson, J. (2018). Digital employee experience is where the action will be. CMSWIRE. https://www.cmswire.com/digital-workplace/digital-employee-experience-is-where-the-action-will-be/
Sońta, M. (2021). Designing playful employee experience through serious play–reflections from pre-pandemic corporate learning events in Poland. Journal of Work-Applied Management. https://doi.org/10.1108/JWAM-01-2021-0011
Stone, D. L., Deadrick, D. L., Lukaszewski, K. M., & Johnson, R. (2015). The influence of technology on the future of human resource management. Human Resource Management Review, 25(2), 216–231. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2015.01.002
Sudrajat, D., Larasati, A., Farmania, A., Andri Yulius Caesar, L., & Moeke, D. (2021, July). Does digital employee experience matters for employee service orientation, ambidexterity, and agility?. In The 2021 12th International Conference on E-business, Management and Economics (pp. 672–677). https://doi.org/10.1145/3481127.3481240
Syahchari, D. H., Herlina, M. G., Saroso, H., Sudrajat, D., & Jordaan, H. K. (2021, August). The influence of digital employee experience and employee agility: Do they boost firm’s effectiveness?. In 2021 International Conference on Information Management and Technology (ICIMTech) (Vol. 1, pp. 67–71). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICIMTech53080.2021.9534976
Taheri, R. H., Miah, M. S., & Kamaruzzaman, M. (2020). Impact of working environment on job satisfaction. European Journal of Business and Management Research, 5(6), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.24018/ejbmr.2020.5.6.643
Tucker, E. (2020). Driving engagement with the employee experience. Strategic HR Review, 19(4), 183–187. https://doi.org/10.1108/SHR-03-2020-0023
Wiles, J. (2022). 9 questions that should be in every employee engagement survey. Gartner. https://www.gartner.com/smarterwithgartner/the-9-questions-that-should-be-in-every-employee-engagement-survey
Wilson, H. J., & Daugherty, P. R. (2018). Collaborative intelligence: Humans and AI are joining forces. Harvard Business Review, 96(4), 114–123. https://hometownhealthonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/ai2-R1804J-PDF-ENG.pdf