Smiles, Systems, and Support: How Technology and Workplace Climate Shape Frontline Employee Growth

Murfat, Moh. Zulkifli
Murfat, Moh. Zulfachmi
Mohamad, Mahathir
Anas, Ali

Jurnal Minds: Manajemen Ide dan Inspirasi
Vol 12 No 2 (2025): December

Frontline employees stand where technology meets human service. This study contributes to HRM scholarship by integrating Job Demands–Resources and Social Exchange theories to explain how technological support and a supportive working environment jointly uphold employee growth in service organizations. Using survey data from 329 Indonesian retail workers and partial-least-square structural-equation-modeling, results reveal that technology enhances growth both directly and through a supportive climate that nurtures trust and engagement. The findings extend socio-technical and JD–R perspectives by illustrating how digital tools become developmental resources only when embedded in caring organizational climates. Managers should treat technology not as automation but as a partner in human capability building through empathy, training, and supportive design.