Work-related smartphone use, work–family conflict and family role performance: The role of segmentation preference

Daantje Derks, Arnold B. Bakker, Pascale Peters, Pauline van Wingerden

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

238 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Is work-related smartphone use during off-job time associated with lower conflict owing to the blurring of the boundaries between work and family life? Or does it help employees juggling work and family demands? The present four-day quantitative diary study (N = 71 employees, N = 265–280 data points) aims to shed light on the relationship between daily work-related smartphone use during off-job time, and daily work–family conflict and daily family role performance, respectively. Moreover, individuals’ general segmentation preference is investigated as a potential cross-level moderator in the relationships between daily work-related smartphone use during off-job time and both work–family conflict and family role performance. Overall, the results of multilevel modelling support our mediated moderation model indicating that for integrators more frequent work-related smartphone use during off-job time is associated with better family role performance through reduced work–family conflict. For segmenters, smartphone use does not have any impact on work–family conflict and family role performance. These findings suggest that for integrators smartphone use during off-job time may be useful to simultaneously meet both work demands and family demands, which has the potential to reduce work–family conflict and enhance family role performance; whereas for segmenters no effects were found.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1045-1068
Number of pages24
JournalHuman Relations
Volume69
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - May 2015
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • boundary management
  • diary study
  • family role performance
  • smartphone use
  • work−family conflict

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)
  • General Social Sciences
  • Strategy and Management
  • Management of Technology and Innovation

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Work-related smartphone use, work–family conflict and family role performance: The role of segmentation preference'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this