PSYCHOLOGICAL DETERMINANTS OF DIGITAL WORK ENGAGEMENT AMONG GEN Z

This study explores the psychological processes that shape digital work engagement among Generation Z employees in remote and digitally mediated work environments. The primary objective is to examine how perceived isolation, psychological resilience, and perceived organizational support influence employees’ engagement, as well as to investigate the proposed mediating and moderating mechanisms among these psychological constructs. Using a quantitative research design, survey data were collected from 300 Generation Z employees who routinely perform their work through digital platforms. Data analysis was conducted using Structural Equation Modeling with Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) to assess the measurement and structural relationships. The results demonstrate that psychological resilience and perceived organizational support have significant positive effects on digital work engagement, indicating that engagement in digital work contexts is strongly associated with employees’ internal coping capacities and their psychological perception of being valued and supported by the organization. Conversely, perceived isolation does not exhibit a significant direct effect on engagement, suggesting that feelings of isolation do not automatically translate into disengagement when individuals possess sufficient psychological and organizational resources. Furthermore, the hypothesized mediating role of psychological resilience and moderating role of organizational support are not supported, indicating that these resources function primarily as direct psychological enablers rather than as buffering mechanisms. The model explains a substantial proportion of variance in digital work engagement, reflecting its explanatory adequacy. This study offers originality by framing digital work engagement as a psychological experience rooted in resilience, perceived support, and subjective meaning, rather than merely a behavioral or technological outcome. The findings highlight the importance of psychologically informed organizational practices to sustain engagement and well-being among Generation Z in contemporary digital work settings.