Work-Related Communication Technology Use Outside of Regular Work Hours and Work Life Conflict

TLDR

The study situates its findings within broader management practice implications, acknowledges limitations, and suggests future research directions. The study examines how after‑hours use of work‑related communication technology affects employees’ perceptions of work‑life conflict, burnout, turnover intentions, and job satisfaction. The authors surveyed 168 employees across 30+ Midwestern firms via an online questionnaire to evaluate the relationships among after‑hours tech use, work‑life conflict, burnout, turnover intentions, and job satisfaction. Hours of after‑hours work‑related tech use increased work‑life conflict, but positive attitudes toward such technologies reduced conflict; controlling for age, life stress, and attitudes, work‑life conflict predicted burnout and job satisfaction but not turnover intentions.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate employee perceptions of the influence of communication technology use outside of regular work hours on perceptions of work life conflict, burnout, turnover intentions, and job satisfaction. An online survey of 168 employees from more than 30 companies in a Midwestern city was conducted to assess relationships among these variables. The results indicated that hours of work-related communication technology use outside of regular work hours contributed to perceptions of work life conflict. However, positive attitudes toward communication technologies predicted decreased work life conflict. Controlling for worker age, perceived life stress, and attitudes toward communication technologies, work life conflict was found to predict job burnout and job satisfaction, but not turnover intentions. The authors discuss implications of the study findings for management practices, limitations of the study, and directions for future research.