ABSTRACT

Communicating work issues at home and home issues at work, also known as across-the-border (ATB) communication, is a part of everyday work and family interaction. This study focuses on the concept of ATB communication, using Work/Family Border Theory, according to which the boundaries between work and private life are seen as negotiated and shaped through social interactions and practices. We argue that through ATB communication, and especially by focusing on what is shared and how, employees can manage boundaries and achieve work-life balance. Altogether, 32 informants, comprising journalists (N = 16) and their relational others (N = 16), were interviewed to investigate the role of ATB communication in employees’ work-life boundary management. The findings show that ATB communication entails discussions about responsibilities in different life domains and a search for support in demanding or complex work or private life situations. One feature of boundary management involves refraining from ATB communication in order to achieve a balance between work and life. The study extends existing knowledge of boundary management as a communicative process and offers important practical implications by highlighting the role of interpersonal relationships in boundary management practices and the quality of ATB communication in these relationships.

摘要

沟通家庭中的工作问题和工作中的家庭问题，也称为跨境 (ATB) 沟通，是日常工作和家庭互动的一部分。本研究重点关注 ATB 沟通的概念，使用工作/家庭边界理论，根据该理论，工作和私人生活之间的界限被视为通过社会互动和实践协商和塑造的。我们认为，通过 ATB 沟通，尤其是通过关注共享的内容和方式，员工可以管理界限并实现工作与生活的平衡。总共有 32 名线人，包括记者（N  = 16）和他们的其他相关人员（N = 16), 接受采访以调查 ATB 沟通在员工工作与生活边界管理中的作用。调查结果表明，ATB 沟通需要讨论不同生活领域的责任，并在要求苛刻或复杂的工作或私人生活情况下寻求支持。边界管理的一个特点是避免 ATB 沟通，以实现工作和生活之间的平衡。该研究扩展了边界管理作为沟通过程的现有知识，并通过强调人际关系在边界管理实践中的作用以及 ATB 沟通在这些关系中的质量，提供了重要的实践意义。