Working 9-5? How knowledge workers manage work-home boundaries. Image source:

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1 Working 9-5? How knowledge workers manage work-home boundaries Image source:

2 Marta E. Cecchinato ( check-in ato m.cecchinato@cs.ucl.ac.uk

3 Overview People have a boundary preference, but they can t always achieve them Technology might be the issue, but removing it isn t the solution Microboundaries and frictions can help regain control over work-life balance

4 Methodology Approach: Mixed methods (quantitative surveys, qualitative interviews) Focus on: Multi-device experience Knowledge workers (UK) 5 studies

5 Use of Devices Survey on Work-Life Indicator (WLI) Scale and Device Separation (n=285*) Fleck, Cox, Robison (2015) Studies 17 interviews with smartwatch users Cecchinato, Cox, Bird (2015b, under review) Behaviour Survey on work overload and coping (n=94) Collins, Cox, Wootton (2015) 16 interviews with university employees and WLI scale Cecchinato, Cox, Bird (2014, 2015) Work Recovery Survey on recovery, work strain and workhome interference (n=491) Collins, Cox (2013)

6 People have boundary preferences they can t always achieve 1

7 Boundary Theory s continuum Segmentation My WHB Integration Nippert-Eng, 1996

8 I would never ever check my [work] outside of work, purposely. It's not the kind of job that I think about when I m not here. I'm not allowed to work from home" University librarian Segmentation My WHB Integration Cecchinato, Cox, Bird (2014, 2015a)

9 I would never ever check my [work] outside of work, purposely. It's not the kind of job that I think about when I m not here. I'm not allowed to work from home" University librarian Segmentation Cecchinato, Cox, Bird (2014, 2015a) My WHB Integration The first [ ] check is probably right after I woke up. I will probably have another look during my commute. And once I'm in my office. Once I m home I have a second work shift after my son goes to bed until quite late in the night Lecturer

10 Kossek et al., 2012 But what matters is their sense of control

11 When you lack control, work-home conflict occurs I was on holiday last week and I had a great plan not to check my s [ ] but then [ ] I got quite an important work to my personal account which caused a lot of stress in the holiday [ ] I didn t want to tell my husband cause he'd tell me I shouldn't be doing work while I was on holiday (laughs). Lecturer It does irritate my partner. Like if we're in front of the TV and she's playing on a game on her phone and I check my work then that would irritate her cause [...] she sees it like me being in work rather than spending time with her. Researcher Cecchinato, Cox, Bird (2014, 2015a)

12 But it can be hard and cause stress Kossek et al., 2012

13 Technology might be the issue, but removing it isn t the solution 2

14 No Device is an Island The tablet and the Chromebook, they're home devices. The smartphone and the watch come to work as well. Chief Innovation Officer ~3 devices each (laptops, phones, etc.) Device integration = More interruptions! Fleck, Cox, Robison (2015) Survey on WLI Scale and Device Separation (n=285, UK representative sample) Cecchinato, Cox, Bird (2015b) Interviews with smartwatch users (n=17)

15 When should I check my s? it's sort of a spiral, I've looked at Facebook, I've looked at this, and I've looked at that and then I'll look at my . Sometimes I think 'why am I even looking at my work ?! - Lecturer If you have work on your phone: You re more likely to check it during non-work You re more likely to have nonwork interrupted by work You re also more likely to feel less overloaded Cecchinato, Cox, Bird (2015a) Interviews and WLI scale (n=16) Collins, Cox, Wootton (2015) Survey on work overload and coping (n=94)

16 New forms of boundaries Different apps Different accounts Affordance-driven use/non-use When I get home I'll disconnect - I'll turn the Bluetooth off on my phone, take off the smartwatch Chief Innovation Officer in my tablet I have my Gmail account not my University account synchronized. So like I get notifications for Gmail, but I need to make more effort in getting the work . That is done purposely Research fellow Cecchinato, Cox, Bird (2015a,b) Interviews and WLI scale (n=16) Interviews with smartwatch users (n=17)

17 New forms of boundaries Disabling notifications temporarily Disabling notifications periodically Allowing only priority ones The smartwatch made my life easier in terms of managing notifications and seeing which ones are duds and which ones are actually ones I want to deal with. PhD student I have from time to time stopped certain notifications when I've been out for dinner with a friend or something like that. Commercial Manager Cecchinato, Cox, Bird (2015a,b) Interviews and WLI scale (n=16) Interviews with smartwatch users (n=17)

18 Post-work Recovery the replenishing of depleted psychological resources as a result of a day of work 1. Relaxation 2. Psychological detachment 3. Mastery 4. Sense of control over free time Collins, Cox (2013)

19 Post-work Recovery Video-game players are better recovered and have lower work-home interference than non-players Games with better narrative and immersion more related to recovery Collins, Cox (2013) Survey on recovery, stress and work-home interference (n=491)

20 Summary 1. Technology is used to support boundary styles 2. Technology can even combat workstress 3. So switching off is not necessarily the answer!

21 3 Microboundaries and frictions can help regain control over work-life balance

22 Microboundary strategies Software Using separate accounts Using separate applications Notifications Disabling them temporarily Disabling them periodically Disabling selected ones Allowing priority ones Devices Using separate devices Affordance-driven use/non-use Stop and think: is this what you really want to do? Cecchinato, Cox, Bird (2015a, under review), Cox, Gould, Cecchinato, Iacovides, Renfree (2016), Gould, Cox, Iacovides, Cecchinato (under review)

23 What are Microboundaries? They are strategies to limit the impact of role transitions caused by cross-domain technology mediated interruptions. User-driven Technology based They give more control over unwanted interruptions Cecchinato, Cox, Bird (2015a, under review), Cox, Gould, Cecchinato, Iacovides, Renfree (2016), Gould, Cox, Iacovides, Cecchinato (under review)

24 Influencing policies Using system-driven frictions Recognising different roles within the company have different boundary styles Promoting accepting culture to manage expectations of availability

25 Take home message Think about what you can do to improve your boundary management and that of others you interact with! People have a boundary preference, but they can t always achieve them Technology might be the issue, but removing it isn t the solution Microboundaries and frictions can help regain control over work-life m.cecchinato@cs.ucl.ac.uk