Strain, loss of time, or even gain? A systematic review of technology-based work extending and its ambiguous impact on wellbeing, considering its frequency and duration
Especially in knowledge-intensive professions, workers engage in work-related communication and access digital work content outside of working hours. Scientific research on technology-based work extending has flourished in recent decades, but yielded inconclusive results about its relationship with...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1175641/full |
| _version_ | 1797785199411462144 |
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| author | Julia Schoellbauer Martina Hartner-Tiefenthaler Clare Kelliher |
| author_facet | Julia Schoellbauer Martina Hartner-Tiefenthaler Clare Kelliher |
| author_sort | Julia Schoellbauer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Especially in knowledge-intensive professions, workers engage in work-related communication and access digital work content outside of working hours. Scientific research on technology-based work extending has flourished in recent decades, but yielded inconclusive results about its relationship with workers’ wellbeing and focused on different temporal characteristics of the behaviour. Consequently, in this article, we address the question of whether different temporal characteristics of technology-based work extending, such as the frequency and duration of the behaviour, may have different consequences for workers’ wellbeing. In the course of a systematic literature review, we analyzed 78 empirical studies published between 2007 and 2021 that investigate the relationship between the self-rated frequency and the self-rated duration of work extending behaviours and 14 wellbeing indicators. Whereas most studies examined the frequency of work extending behaviours and its consequences, only 19 studies examined the effects of its duration. Based on our findings, we propose three effects: The strain effect of frequent work extending, the gain effect of sustained work extending, and the loss-of-private-time effect inherent to work extending and independent from its frequency and duration. Our findings not only provide in-depth information on a widespread contemporary behaviour and its psychological implications, we also reveal research gaps and shed light on behaviours associated with role transitions and thus contribute to boundary theory. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T00:50:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cb43e19a81cf4ed0a6f006200adad617 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T00:50:41Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-cb43e19a81cf4ed0a6f006200adad6172023-07-07T17:55:31ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782023-07-011410.3389/fpsyg.2023.11756411175641Strain, loss of time, or even gain? A systematic review of technology-based work extending and its ambiguous impact on wellbeing, considering its frequency and durationJulia Schoellbauer0Martina Hartner-Tiefenthaler1Clare Kelliher2Department of Occupational, Economic, and Social Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, AustriaDepartment of Labor Science and Organization, Institute of Management Science, TU Wien, Vienna, AustriaCranfield School of Management, Cranfield University, Cranfield, United KingdomEspecially in knowledge-intensive professions, workers engage in work-related communication and access digital work content outside of working hours. Scientific research on technology-based work extending has flourished in recent decades, but yielded inconclusive results about its relationship with workers’ wellbeing and focused on different temporal characteristics of the behaviour. Consequently, in this article, we address the question of whether different temporal characteristics of technology-based work extending, such as the frequency and duration of the behaviour, may have different consequences for workers’ wellbeing. In the course of a systematic literature review, we analyzed 78 empirical studies published between 2007 and 2021 that investigate the relationship between the self-rated frequency and the self-rated duration of work extending behaviours and 14 wellbeing indicators. Whereas most studies examined the frequency of work extending behaviours and its consequences, only 19 studies examined the effects of its duration. Based on our findings, we propose three effects: The strain effect of frequent work extending, the gain effect of sustained work extending, and the loss-of-private-time effect inherent to work extending and independent from its frequency and duration. Our findings not only provide in-depth information on a widespread contemporary behaviour and its psychological implications, we also reveal research gaps and shed light on behaviours associated with role transitions and thus contribute to boundary theory.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1175641/fullboundary theoryconstant availabilitytechnology-assisted supplemental work (TASW)work interruption nonwork behaviourswork-life conflict |
| spellingShingle | Julia Schoellbauer Martina Hartner-Tiefenthaler Clare Kelliher Strain, loss of time, or even gain? A systematic review of technology-based work extending and its ambiguous impact on wellbeing, considering its frequency and duration Frontiers in Psychology boundary theory constant availability technology-assisted supplemental work (TASW) work interruption nonwork behaviours work-life conflict |
| title | Strain, loss of time, or even gain? A systematic review of technology-based work extending and its ambiguous impact on wellbeing, considering its frequency and duration |
| title_full | Strain, loss of time, or even gain? A systematic review of technology-based work extending and its ambiguous impact on wellbeing, considering its frequency and duration |
| title_fullStr | Strain, loss of time, or even gain? A systematic review of technology-based work extending and its ambiguous impact on wellbeing, considering its frequency and duration |
| title_full_unstemmed | Strain, loss of time, or even gain? A systematic review of technology-based work extending and its ambiguous impact on wellbeing, considering its frequency and duration |
| title_short | Strain, loss of time, or even gain? A systematic review of technology-based work extending and its ambiguous impact on wellbeing, considering its frequency and duration |
| title_sort | strain loss of time or even gain a systematic review of technology based work extending and its ambiguous impact on wellbeing considering its frequency and duration |
| topic | boundary theory constant availability technology-assisted supplemental work (TASW) work interruption nonwork behaviours work-life conflict |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1175641/full |
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