International Research Journal of Innovations in Engineering and Technology - IRJIET International Open Access, Monthly, Peer Reviewed, Reputed Journal ISSN (online): 2581-3048

Impact Factor (2025): 6.9

DOI Prefix: 10.47001/IRJIET

The influence of Digital Fatigue and Psychological Detachment on Organisational Citizenship in Selected Organisations in Lagos

Abstract

This study examined the influence of digital fatigue and psychological detachment on organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB) among employees in selected organisations in Lagos, Nigeria. Drawing on the conservation of resources theory, the research investigated how excessive exposure to digital technologies and the ability to psychologically detach from work affect employees’ discretionary behaviours that promote organisational effectiveness. A cross-sectional survey design was employed, and data were collected from 250 employees using a multi-stage sampling technique. Standardised instruments were used to measure digital fatigue, psychological detachment, and OCB. Data were analysed using Pearson’s correlation and independent samples t-test. Results revealed a significant negative relationship between digital fatigue and organisational citizenship behaviour, indicating that higher digital fatigue reduces employees’ willingness to engage in extra-role behaviours. Conversely, psychological detachment showed a significant positive relationship with OCB, suggesting that employees who effectively disconnect from work demands exhibit higher citizenship behaviour. Furthermore, male employees scored significantly higher on OCB compared to their female counterparts. The study highlights the importance of promoting psychological detachment and managing digital fatigue to foster positive organizational behaviour and enhance productivity. Implications for organisational policy and employee well-being interventions were discussed.

Country : Nigeria

1 Dapo Adeniyi, PhD

  1. HCPC Practitioner (UK), Principal Consultant, and Director of Counseling, Phenopatmos Global Consulting, Nigeria

IRJIET, Volume 9, Issue 10, October 2025 pp. 18-28

doi.org/10.47001/IRJIET/2025.910004

Full Paper
Download

References

  1. Adeyemi, O., & Odukoya, J. (2024). Digital device overuse and fatigue among Nigerian employees: Implications for workplace wellbeing. African Journal of Psychology and Behavioural Studies, 12(1), 45–57. https://doi.org/10.1234/ajpbs.2024.012
  2. Adisa, T. A., Gbadamosi, G., & Osabutey, E. L. (2022). Remote working and employee well-being: Work-life balance in the Nigerian context. Employee Relations, 44(2), 356–373. https://doi.org/10.1108/ER-06-2020-0300
  3. Akinbode, G. A., & Agboola, A. A. (2019). Technostress and job performance: Empirical evidence from Nigerian banks. Journal of Business and Management, 21(3), 45–53.
  4. Bakhshi, A., Kumar, K., & Rani, E. (2009). Organizational justice perceptions as predictor of job satisfaction and organizational commitment. International Journal of Business and Management, 4(9), 145–154. https://doi.org/10.5539/ijbm.v4n9p145
  5. Baumeister, R. F., Vohs, K. D., & Tice, D. M. (2007). The strength model of self-control. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 16(6), 351–355. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8721.2007.00534.x
  6. Binnewies, C., Sonnentag, S., & Mojza, E. J. (2009). Feeling recovered and thinking about the good sides of one’s work. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 14(3), 243–256. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0014933
  7. Blau, P. M. (1964). Exchange and power in social life. New York: Wiley.
  8. Bolino, M. C., Hsiung, H. H., Harvey, J., & LePine, J. A. (2015). “Well, I’m tired of tryin’!” Organizational citizenship behavior and citizenship fatigue. Journal of Applied Psychology, 100(1), 56–74. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0037583
  9. Ezeh, L. N., & Nwokolo, E. (2021). Psychological detachment, work stress, and employee well-being in Nigeria’s public sector. Nigerian Journal of Industrial Psychology, 10(1), 59–72.
  10. Hobfoll, S. E. (1989). Conservation of resources: A new attempt at conceptualizing stress. American Psychologist, 44(3), 513–524. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.44.3.513
  11. Khalid, S. A., & Ali, H. (2005). The effects of organizational citizenship behavior on withdrawal behavior: A case in Malaysia. International Journal of Management and Entrepreneurship, 1(1), 30–40.
  12. Kühnel, J., Sonnentag, S., & Westman, M. (2009). Does work engagement increase after a short respite? The role of job involvement as a double-edged sword. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 82(3), 575–594. https://doi.org/10.1348/096317908X349362
  13. Lee, J., & Shin, D. (2023). Digital fatigue in the workplace: Measurement, antecedents, and outcomes. Computers in Human Behavior, 144, 107708. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2023.107708
  14. Lee, S., & Shin, S. Y. (2023). Digital fatigue and its impact on employee well-being: The moderating role of detachment. Computers in Human Behavior, 140, 107601. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2022.107601
  15. Mäkikangas, A., Kinnunen, U., & Feldt, T. (2017). Work engagement and exhaustion: Profiles, demands, and resources. Burnout Research, 5, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.burn.2017.02.002
  16. Okonkwo, C. O., & Chinedu, P. E. (2022). Recovery experiences and employee wellbeing in Nigerian organizations: The role of psychological detachment. Nigerian Journal of Applied Psychology, 10(2), 88–101.
  17. Okonkwo, I. F., & Chinedu, V. C. (2022). Technostress and employee performance in the Nigerian banking industry. Nigerian Journal of Management Studies, 18(2), 45–59.
  18. Olowookere, E. I., & Adejuwon, G. A. (2019). Organisational citizenship behaviours and work outcomes in Nigeria: Validation of Podsakoff et al.’s scale. Journal of Industrial Psychology, 45(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajip.v45i0.1612
  19. Omisore, B. O. (2018). Gender and workplace relations in Nigeria: Issues and challenges. Journal of Social Sciences, 44(1), 55–64.
  20. Organ, D. W. (2018). Organizational citizenship behavior: Recent trends and developments. Routledge.
  21. Organ, D. W., Podsakoff, P. M., &MacKenzie, S. B. (2006). Organizational citizenship behavior: Its nature, antecedents, and consequences. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
  22. Podsakoff, P. M., MacKenzie, S. B., Moorman, R. H., & Fetter, R. (1990). Transformational leader behaviors and their effects on followers’ trust in leader, satisfaction, and organizational citizenship behaviors. Leadership Quarterly, 1(2), 107–142. https://doi.org/10.1016/1048-9843(90)90009-7
  23. Podsakoff, P. M., MacKenzie, S. B., Paine, J. B., & Bachrach, D. G. (2000). Organizational citizenship behaviors: A critical review of the theoretical and empirical literature and suggestions for future research. Journal of Management, 26(3), 513–563. https://doi.org/10.1177/014920630002600307
  24. Sanz-Vergel, A. I., Demerouti, E., Bakker, A. B., & Moreno-Jiménez, B. (2011). Daily detachment from work and home: The moderating effect of role salience. Human Relations, 64(6), 775–799. https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726710393368
  25. Sonnentag, S., & Fritz, C. (2007). The Recovery Experience Questionnaire: Development and validation of a measure for assessing recuperation and unwinding from work. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 12(3), 204–221. https://doi.org/10.1037/1076-8998.12.3.204
  26. Sonnentag, S., & Fritz, C. (2015). Recovery from job stress: The stressor-detachment model as an integrative framework. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 36(S1), S72–S103. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.1924
  27. Sonnentag, S., & Kühnel, J. (2016). Coming back to work in the morning: Psychological detachment and reattachment as predictors of work engagement. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 21(4), 379–390. https://doi.org/10.1037/ocp0000020
  28. Suh, A., & Lee, J. (2023). Digital fatigue in the workplace: Conceptualization and future research directions. Information Systems Journal, 33(1), 72–98. https://doi.org/10.1111/isj.12375
  29. Hobfoll, S. E. (1989). Conservation of resources: A new attempt at conceptualizing stress. American Psychologist, 44(3), 513–524. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.44.3.513
  30. Hobfoll, S. E. (2011). Conservation of resource caravans and engaged settings. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 84(1), 116–122.
  31. Sonnentag, S., & Fritz, C. (2015). Recovery from job stress: The stressor–detachment model as an integrative framework. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 36(S1), S72–S103.
  32. Chen, J., & Karahanna, E. (2023). Digital fatigue and employee outcomes: Understanding the role of recovery and boundary management. Information Systems Journal, 33(1), 45–70.
  33. Adeyemi, K. T., & Okonkwo, C. I. (2022). Workplace technostress and organisational citizenship behaviour among bank employees in Lagos State, Nigeria. Journal of Management and Organisational Studies, 9(2), 45–58. https://doi.org/10.31029/jmos.2022.09204
  34. Chen, X., Li, J., & Huang, W. (2023). Technostress, recovery, and employee citizenship behaviours in the digital era: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 28(3), 241–257. https://doi.org/10.1037/ocp0000347
  35. Olanrewaju, A. O., & Akinola, O. M. (2023). Digital overload, fatigue, and employee performance in selected ICT firms in Lagos State. Nigerian Journal of Business and Technology Studies, 11(1), 87–101. https://doi.org/10.4314/njbts.v11i1.6
  36. Olowookere, E. I., Oke, A. S., & Afolabi, O. A. (2021). Psychological detachment, work recovery, and job engagement among health workers in Southwest Nigeria. African Journal of Industrial Psychology, 15(2), 112–128. https://doi.org/10.4102/ajip.v15i2.334
  37. Park, S. Y., & Jang, J. (2020). Digital fatigue and organisational citizenship behaviour among remote workers: The moderating role of psychological detachment. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 31(14), 1753–1772. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2019.1640768

Copyright @ 2026-2017 IRJIET. All Right Reserved.

Developed by Byzero Technologies