Work-related ICT use during off-job time, technology to family conflict and segmentation preference: a study with two generations of employees

ABSTRACT

The widespread use of ICT, namely the use of smartphones, has dramatically altered the way organizations communicate with employees, leading to flexibility in work schedules that frequently encompass extending the workday. In the current workforce there are different generations, and this can affect the way that ICT use for work purposes during off-job time is perceived. In the current study, we examine whether organizational expectations towards after-hours communications for work purposes (off-job e-communication expectations) and perceptions of technology as causing family conflict (technology to family conflict), may be experienced differently by two generations of employees. Moreover, segmentation preference is examined as a moderator of the relationship between off-job e-communication expectations and technology to family conflict. Data from 238 employees that reported to have used, over the last 6 months, their ICT for work purposes during non-work time, from various industries were collected. Findings revealed that segmentation preferences are related to technology to family conflict directly for both groups. It was also found that for the older employee group off-job e-communication expectations are related to technology to family conflict. Implications for organizations are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• ICT use during off-job time
• segmentation preference
• work–family relations
• generations in workplace

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).