Communication Across Work Boundaries Through Technology and Social Media: Effects on Increased Work-Family Conflict

Abstract

The use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to disseminate the work-related information after normal working hours has become prevalent nowadays. Workers can be accessed at any time and place, and information can be delivered outside of work through the medium of advanced telecommunications channels such as mobile phones that equipped with an e-mail and social media. This is likely to increase the work pressure to employees and subsequently increase work-family conflict. Despite the plethora studies on WFC and all the antecedents studied, the influence of ICT and social media towards WFC still needs attention. Thus, the objective of this study is to investigate the implications of information technology and social media to work-family conflict and propose a number of mechanisms to address these issues. . This qualitative research is using interviews to collect data from employees with different work backgrounds. The study found that the use of ICT and social media beyond working hours will increase work-family conflict. This study also discovered the role of superior’s support and understanding will lessen the said impact and individual themselves need to have their own wisdom and discipline to prioritized whatever information and instruction that reaches them through this current technology and social media.