This study introduces the digital work map (DWM) – a novel framework designed to analyze and balance digital job demands (DJD) and digital job resources (DJR) in contemporary work environments. Grounded in the extended job demands–resources (JD-R) model and sociotechnical systems theory (STS), the framework addresses the increasing complexity and psychological strain associated with digital transformation (DT).
An exploratory qualitative study is based on 15 semi-structured expert interviews with DT professionals across multiple industries. Data were analyzed using thematic coding to identify patterns of DJD, DJR and workplace structures.
The experts emphasized that the DWM should adapt to different organizational contexts by providing sector-specific entry points and a modular application. In practice, this flexibility translates into features such as configurable diagnostic templates for mapping DJD and resources, scenario-based adaptation across industries and iterative updating mechanisms that allow organizations to recalibrate interventions as technologies evolve. The DWM translates theoretical constructs into a conceptual, design-oriented framework.
By explicitly identifying the gap between theory and practical application, this study contributes a novel conceptual framework to the digital-work-design literature. It offers practical and strategic guidance for organizations and leaders navigating hybrid and digitally intensive work contexts.
The DWM supports organizations in reflecting on digital work environments that balance performance and employee well-being. By linking digital job demands and resources, it supports the identification of psychosocial risks and provides a structured basis for developing mitigation strategies. The framework promotes more responsible and human-centered technology implementation, contributing to sustainable work practices and supporting employee resilience and engagement in digitally intensive contexts.
This contributes to an identified research gap by linking technological efficiency and psychosocial outcomes in an integrative framework. The DWM combines the JD-R model with the sociotechnical structure of digital workplaces, offering a human-centered and conceptual framework for digital work design.
