Technology infiltration: permeable boundaries and work-life spillover experiences among academics in the United Kingdom during the COVID-19 pandemic

MORDI, Chima, AJONBADI, Hakeem and ADEKOYA, Olatunji (2023). Technology infiltration: permeable boundaries and work-life spillover experiences among academics in the United Kingdom during the COVID-19 pandemic. Personnel Review.

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Abstract

Purpose (limit 100 words) This study explored the challenges academics faced with work structures during the COVID-19 pandemic and their implications for their work-life balance (WLB). Design/methodology/approach (limit 100 words) Relying on the interpretative paradigm and the qualitative research method, the dataset consists of semi-structured interviews with 43 academics in the United Kingdom. Findings (limit 100 words) Our findings indicate that academics in the UK experience issues around increased boundary permeability between work and nonwork domains and role overlap, which engender the transfer of negative rather than positive spillover experiences and exacerbate negative consequences to the well-being of academics. ICTs also reinforced gendered work-family boundaries and generated more negative work-life/family spillover for women than for men. Practical implications (limit 100 words) Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) need to address ICT-related health issues through better work designs and HR initiatives that respond to the health requirements of academics. Policymakers should be futuristic and ensure comprehensive work-life policies for academics, which are necessary for humanising overall organisational well-being. Originality/value (limit 100 words) Although COVID-19 challenges are common to all workers, the experiences and effects on specific workers (in this case, UK academics) within specific national jurisdictions play out differentially, and they are often experienced with different levels of depth and intensity.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	** Article version: AM ** From Emerald via Jisc Publications Router ** Licence for AM version of this article: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ** Peer reviewed: TRUE **Journal IDs: issn 0048-3486 **History: accepted 03-07-2023; rev-recd 22-06-2023; submitted 20-10-2022
Uncontrolled Keywords:	higher education institutions, ICT, work-life spillover, Qualitative, academics, united kingdom
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1108/pr-10-2022-0693
SWORD Depositor:	Colin Knott
Depositing User:	Colin Knott
Date Deposited:	11 Aug 2023 09:50
Last Modified:	11 Oct 2023 12:45
URI:	https://shura.shu.ac.uk/id/eprint/32251

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