OPTIMIZING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN JOB AUTONOMY AND PROFESSIONAL WORKER'S PERFORMANCE: THE ROLES OF IT CAPABILITY

Abstract

Nevertheless, knowledge-based activities require direct social connection, despite professional workers having a certain degree of workplace autonomy. However, since the epidemic, these interactions have been replaced by ICT. Professionals must adapt and rely on their current IT capabilities. Therefore, this study aims to determine how professional workers' autonomy and IT proficiency influence their performance. The proposed model was empirically tested using data collected from the five Indonesian provinces with the highest concentration of professional workers. The sample selection approach employs cluster random sampling based on population distribution, and the number of respondents was determined using the sampling methodology proposed by Krejcie et al. (1970). This study involved 384 Indonesian professional workers employed in professional Knowledge-Intensive Business Services (p-KIBS). The gathered data was evaluated using the CB-SEM methodology and IBM-AMOS. Even though job autonomy has a beneficial influence on professional worker performance, its association with professional worker performance is stronger through the indirect effect of IT competency. This study implies that professional employees should enhance their IT skills to enhance their effectiveness, particularly during a pandemic or when mobile or hybrid work becomes the norm. In addition, firms that migrate to mobile or hybrid work arrangements must provide appropriate support to guarantee that their professional employees can readily adapt to the new arrangements, such as by giving adequate IT training.