Interferences between work and nonwork in the context of smartwork: The role of boundary strength and autonomy

Abstract

With the advances of information technologies, the interest in SmartWork including extended version of telework and flexible work are increasing, and various types of SmartWork attempted to make working time and place flexible with the goal of work and life balance. Despite its emphasis on work and life balance, SmartWork is expected to make the boundaries between work and nonwork blur and role conflicts occur more than before, and thus the goal of work and life balance becomes more distant. A number of SmartWork users are significantly increasing in Korea, but little is known concerning the antecedents and mechanisms to explain psychological work and interferences in the SmartWork environment. In this paper, using boundary theory, we empirically investigate factors affecting the interferences at both work and nonwork domains. The results, based on data collected from SmartWork users in one of the biggest telecommunication companies in Korea where SmartWork is adopted and extensively used, suggest the factors may be affecting differently interferences at the work and nonwork domains.