Examining technostress creators and role stress as potential threats to employees' information security compliance

This study examined whether employees' security-related stress, i.e., technostress and role stress, in an organizational setting could affect their compliance intention regarding information security. In a survey of 346 employees, it was found that security-related technostress creators in organizations negatively affected employees' organizational commitment, both directly and indirectly through role stress, and further lowered compliance intention regarding information security. In addition, it was found that employees' regulatory focus, i.e., promotion focus, moderated the relationship between technostress creators and role stress. Employees with a high level of promotion focus were more resistant to the adverse effect of technostress creators and thus experienced less role stress. These results suggest directions for organizational strategies to manage and enhance employees' information security compliance.