Digital transformation provokes a great deal of uncertainty among employees. To gain insights into how employees manage the uncertainty driven by digital transformation and also how leaders can support them, this study has drawn on the theory of communication and uncertainty management (TCUM), which posits that the impact of uncertainty varies by how individuals appraise it and social support enhances positive appraisal. Based on those tenets, the current study advanced the following hypotheses: (a) uncertainty has direct and indirect negative effects on employees’ appraisal of digital transformation, self-efficacy, and job performance; (b) in contrast, direct supervisors’ transformational leadership has direct and indirect positive effects on appraisal, self-efficacy, and job performance; and also (c) transformational leadership moderates the impact of uncertainty. SEM with 4-wave time-separated data (N = 873 employee-supervisor dyads in Japan) found support for these hypotheses. The obtained findings are discussed with reference to TCUM, transformational leadership, and other relevant literature.

数字化转型给员工带来了很大的不确定性。为了深入了解员工如何管理数字化转型带来的不确定性以及领导者如何支持他们，本研究借鉴了沟通和不确定性管理 (TCUM) 理论，该理论认为不确定性的影响因个人对它的评价而异社会支持增强了积极评价。基于这些原则，本研究提出以下假设：(a) 不确定性对员工对数字化转型、自我效能和工作绩效的评价具有直接和间接的负面影响；(b) 相比之下，直接主管的变革型领导对评估、自我效能和工作绩效有直接和间接的积极影响；(c) 变革型领导缓和了不确定性的影响。具有 4 波时间分离数据的 SEM (N  = 873 日本的员工-主管二人组）找到了对这些假设的支持。参考 TCUM、变革型领导和其他相关文献对获得的发现进行了讨论。