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Work Segmentation, Psychological Detachment, and Burnout: The Moderating Role of Work-Related Communication Technology Use During Leisure Hours
Laura Lai
Pages - 145 - 180     |    Revised - 09-11-2021     |    Published - 20-12-2021
Volume - 0   Issue - 0    |    Publication Date - December 20, 2021  Table of Contents
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KEYWORDS
Employee Well-being, Psychological Detachment, Work-home Segmentation, Burnout, Communication Technology.
ABSTRACT
Employees have recently experienced difficulties in maintaining boundaries and detaching from work due to increased availability expectations that accompany communication technology use. However, research has found that switching off from work is imperative for well-being and recovery. Drawing on the Conservation of Resources model and boundary theory, the objectives of this cross-sectional study was to explore the relationships between work-home segmentation preferences and norms, communication technology (CT) use, and psychological detachment. This study also investigated whether low psychological detachment was an indicator of burnout. A total of 224 participants responded to an online questionnaire. Results of initial hierarchical regressions indicated that psychological detachment was positively associated with segmentation preferences and perceived segmentation norms. In addition, bootstrapped mediation analyses indicated that CT use mediated the former relationship. However, low psychological detachment was not a significant predictor of increased burnout. Discussion focuses on the implementation of organisational policies for employees to achieve successful boundary control and improved psychological detachment.
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Miss Laura Lai
Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Social Sciences, City, University of London, London, EC1V 0HB - United Kingdom
laurapossible@gmail.com


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