Purpose

Prior research has extensively examined how bringing technology from work into the non-work life domain creates conflict, yet the reverse pathway has rarely been studied. The purpose of this study is to bridge this gap and examine how the non-work use of smartphones in the workplace affects work–life conflict.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing from three literature streams: technostress, work–life conflict and role boundary theory, the authors theorise on how limiting employees' ability to integrate the personal life domain into work, by means of technology use policy, contributes to stress and work–life conflict. To test this model, the authors employ a natural experiment in a company that changed its policy from fully restricting to open smartphone access for non-work purposes in the workplace. The insights gained from the experiment were explored further through qualitative interviews.

Findings

Work–life conflict declines when a ban on using smartphones for non-work purposes in the workplace is revoked. This study's results show that the relationship between smartphone use in the workplace and work–life conflict is mediated by sensed stress. Additionally, a post-hoc analysis reveals that work performance was unchanged when the smartphone ban was revoked.

Originality/value

First, this study advances the authors' understanding of how smartphone use policies in the workplace spill over to affect non-work life. Second, this work contributes to the technostress literature by revealing how, in specific situations, engagement with ICT can reduce distress and strain.

中文翻译：

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工作场所中个人使用智能手机以及工作与生活冲突：自然的准实验

目的

先前的研究已经广泛研究了将技术从工作带入非工作生活领域如何产生冲突，但很少研究相反的途径。本研究的目的是弥合这一差距，并研究在工作场所非工作使用智能手机如何影响工作与生活冲突。

设计/方法论/途径

作者借鉴了技术压力、工作与生活冲突和角色边界理论这三个文献流，提出了如何通过技术使用政策限制员工将个人生活领域融入工作的能力，从而导致压力和工作与生活冲突的理论。 。为了测试这个模型，作者在一家公司进行了一项自然实验，该公司将其政策从完全限制工作场所非工作目的的智能手机访问改为开放。通过定性访谈进一步探讨了从实验中获得的见解。

发现

当在工作场所出于非工作目的使用智能手机的禁令被撤销时，工作与生活的冲突就会减少。这项研究的结果表明，工作场所使用智能手机与工作与生活冲突之间的关系是由感受到的压力调节的。此外，事后分析显示，智能手机禁令撤销后，工作绩效没有变化。

原创性/价值

首先，这项研究增进了作者对工作场所智能手机使用政策如何影响非工作生活的理解。其次，这项工作揭示了在特定情况下，参与 ICT 如何能够减少痛苦和压力，从而为技术压力文献做出了贡献。