The study, published in the International Journal of Management and Business Intelligence (IJBMI), Volume 4 Issue 3 (2026), examined how digital leadership and information technology competence affect employee performance in Class II District Courts across West Sumatra. The findings suggest that while digital leadership and technological skills are important, their greatest impact occurs when they strengthen employee motivation.
The results offer valuable insights for public institutions and organizations worldwide as they continue investing in digital transformation initiatives. The study highlights that technology alone is not enough; human motivation remains central to organizational success.
Digital Transformation Is Reshaping Judicial Institutions
Indonesia’s judicial system has undergone significant modernization in recent years. The Supreme Court has introduced various digital platforms, including e-Court, the Case Tracking Information System (SIPP), E-Prima, E-Berpadu, SIKEP, SIWAS, and several other electronic services.
These innovations are designed to improve transparency, efficiency, and public access to judicial services. However, successful implementation depends not only on the availability of digital systems but also on the people responsible for operating them.
According to Afriona and Agusti, organizational transformation requires leaders who can guide digital change and employees who possess the necessary technological competencies to adapt to evolving work environments.
Study Involved 200 Court Employees
To understand the relationship between leadership, technology, motivation, and performance, the researchers surveyed 200 employees from 10 Class II District Courts in West Sumatra.
Participants were selected using proportional random sampling from a population of 388 employees. Data were collected through online questionnaires and analyzed to evaluate relationships among four key variables:
- Digital leadership
- Information technology competence
- Work motivation
- Employee performance
Most respondents were between 25 and 35 years old, held undergraduate degrees, and worked in staff positions. This demographic profile reflects a workforce generally considered adaptable to digital technologies and organizational change.
Technology Competence Improves Motivation and Performance
One of the study’s major findings is that employees who possess stronger information technology skills tend to demonstrate higher levels of motivation and better job performance.
Employees with greater technological competence reported increased confidence in completing tasks, improved efficiency, and greater adaptability to digital work systems.
The analysis showed that:
- Information technology competence significantly improves work motivation.
- Information technology competence directly enhances employee performance.
- The positive effect becomes even stronger when employees are highly motivated.
The researchers explain that technology helps streamline administrative processes, reduce errors, and increase operational efficiency. As work becomes easier and more productive, employees become more motivated to perform at higher levels.
Digital Leadership Does Not Directly Improve Performance
A particularly interesting finding concerns the role of digital leadership.
The study found that digital leadership does not have a significant direct effect on employee performance. However, digital leadership significantly increases employee motivation, which subsequently leads to improved performance.
In other words, leaders who encourage innovation, support technology adoption, and help employees adapt to digital transformation can positively influence employee attitudes and motivation. Those motivational improvements then translate into better work outcomes.
According to Afriona and Agusti, this pattern is understandable within judicial institutions, where employee performance is heavily influenced by formal procedures and standardized operating systems. In such environments, leadership tends to affect performance indirectly through psychological factors such as motivation rather than through direct intervention.
Work Motivation Is the Strongest Predictor of Performance
Among all variables examined, work motivation emerged as the most powerful determinant of employee performance.
Employees with higher motivation consistently demonstrated stronger commitment, greater discipline, and higher productivity levels than those with lower motivation.
The findings indicate that motivated employees are more likely to:
- Complete tasks on schedule.
- Produce higher-quality work.
- Demonstrate stronger discipline and accountability.
- Show greater commitment to organizational objectives.
- Adapt more effectively to digital transformation initiatives.
The researchers conclude that motivation acts as a bridge connecting leadership and technological competence to improved organizational performance.
These findings reinforce a growing consensus among management experts that successful digital transformation depends not only on technology investments but also on employee engagement and psychological readiness.
Implications for Public Sector Reform
The study provides important lessons for government institutions and organizations pursuing digital transformation strategies.
Investing in technology alone is unlikely to produce substantial performance improvements unless employees are adequately motivated and supported throughout the transition process.
Based on their findings, the researchers recommend that organizations:
- Strengthen employees’ digital competencies through continuous training programs.
- Develop digital leadership capabilities among managers and supervisors.
- Create workplace environments that foster intrinsic motivation.
- Implement recognition and support systems that encourage employee engagement and commitment.
According to Vanisa Afriona and Mia Ayu Agusti from Universitas Negeri Padang, organizations will achieve better transformation outcomes when digital leadership, technological competence, and employee motivation develop simultaneously.
As governments and businesses increasingly embrace digital technologies, the study serves as a reminder that human factors remain essential to organizational success. Technology may enable change, but motivated employees are ultimately the driving force behind performance improvement.
Author Profiles
Vanisa Afriona, S.E., M.M. is a researcher and academic at Universitas Negeri Padang. Her research interests include human resource management, digital transformation, digital leadership, and employee performance in public-sector organizations.
Mia Ayu Agusti, S.E., M.M. is a lecturer and researcher at Universitas Negeri Padang specializing in organizational management, employee motivation, workplace behavior, and human resource development.
Research Source
Afriona, Vanisa & Agusti, Mia Ayu. (2026). The Influence of Digital Leadership and Information Technology Competence on Employee Performance: The Mediating Role of Motivation. International Journal of Management and Business Intelligence (IJBMI), Vol. 4 No. 3, pp. 537–556.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.59890/ijmbi.v4i3.16
Journal Website: https://journalijmbi.my.id/index.php/ijmbi
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