The Use of Communication Technology to Manage Work-Home Boundaries

Abstract

Communication technologies have facilitated workers’ ability to integrate the home and work domains; however, these tools have also allowed each domain to more frequently intrude into the other. We examined workplace policies and norms, individual preferences, and family norms and expectations as antecedents of connectivity behaviors that utilize communication technologies to bridge the boundaries between home and work. The control of interruptions from communication technology was examined as a moderator of the relationship between connectivity behavior and work-family conflict. Data were gathered from employees of two universities (n = 290). We found that being required to be connected after hours and role integration preference were associated with higher levels of connectivity behaviors. Connectivity behaviors were not associated with work-family conflict, nor was there support was for the proposed moderator. Job type and hours worked after hours were significantly associated with both connectivity behavior and work-family conflict.