Employee engagement in the digital era: The role of job demands, digital HR tools, and intrinsic motivation

Yuliana Damayanti (University of International Semen Indonesia)

Implementasi Manajemen & Kewirausahaan
Vol 6 No 1 (2026): IMKA JOURNAL

This study examines how Job Demands and Digital HR Tools influence Employee Engagement, with Intrinsic Motivation serving as a mediating variable, in the context of workplace digitalization at PT Semen Indonesia (Persero) Tbk Tuban Plant. Drawing on Job Demands–Resources (JD–R) Theory and Self-Determination Theory (SDT), this research applies a quantitative causal design. Data were collected through an online questionnaire from 135 employees working in technology-based units and analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling–Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS). The findings indicate that Job Demands have a positive and significant direct effect on Employee Engagement, suggesting that well-managed and meaningful demands can function as motivational challenges. In contrast, Digital HR Tools do not directly affect Employee Engagement. However, both Job Demands and Digital HR Tools significantly enhance Intrinsic Motivation, which in turn positively influences Employee Engagement. Mediation analysis shows that Intrinsic Motivation mediates the relationship between Job Demands and Employee Engagement but does not mediate the relationship between Digital HR Tools and Employee Engagement. Overall, the study highlights the importance of intrinsic motivation in translating digital work environments into sustained employee engagement and offers practical guidance for technology-based human resource strategies.