Demystifying the impact of digital hindrance stressors on employee digital creativity: interactive roles of job anxiety and positive stress mindset

Abstract In this study, we examined the relationship between employees’ perceived digital hindrance stressors and digital creativity by focusing on the mediating role of job anxiety and the moderating role of positive stress mindset. Using dyadic data from 273 supervisor–subordinate pairs in China, our results revealed that (1) digital hindrance stressors were negatively associated with employee digital creativity; (2) job anxiety played a partially curvilinear mediating role in the relationship between digital hindrance stressors and employee digital creativity; and (3) positive stress mindset weakened the positive relationship between digital hindrance stressors and job anxiety. These findings offer several theoretical and practical implications for research on digital hindrance stressors and digital creativity.