A dynamic framework of boundary permeability: daily events and within-individual fluctuations in daily work and nonwork boundary permeation

ABSTRACT

How do daily experiences affect work-nonwork boundaries? In this paper, we present a dynamic framework of boundary permeability that aims to answer this question. We propose that daily events are associated with increases in permeation across daily work and nonwork boundaries, and that these increases are strongest on the days when the events occur. We further argue that support seeking and social capitalization are critical interpersonal processes that provide additional insights into the relations between daily events and daily boundary permeation. In Study 1, working parents (N = 88) completed a paper diary for seven days (612 observations), with repeated measures of daily events (hassles and uplifts) and daily work and nonwork boundary permeation. In Study 2, employed individuals (N = 138) completed a similar diary on-line (834 observations) that also included measures of the interpersonal processes. Results of both studies were generally consistent with our hypotheses, and offered support for our dynamic framework. At a practical level, our findings reinforce the importance of incorporating flexibility into human resources practices that are meant to support employees’ efforts to manage the work-nonwork interface – because every day brings about new events.

KEYWORDS:

• Work-nonwork interface
• boundary permeability
• role transitions
• daily events
• social support
• social capitalization

Acknowledgments

We thank our participants for their time and involvement in this project. The data for both studies were gathered in compliance with APA ethical standards, and the research was approved by the University Human Research Ethics Committee at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada.

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Funding

This research was financially supported by grants from the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Société et culture (FRQSC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).