Computers, Cell Phones, and Social Media: How After-Hours Communication Impacts Work-Life Balance and Job Satisfaction

In the age of technological advancements such as the smart phone, laptop, and iPad, employers have nonstop access to employees, blurring the lines between work and personal life. In an effort to provide more insight into the work--life balance challenges that result from constant access, this research study examined afterhours communication by way of cell phones, computers, and social media and the relationship with job satisfaction and work--life balance. The absence of work--life balance proves detrimental to organizations, leading to higher absenteeism and higher turnover rates. Thus, it is of the organization's benefit to understand and create culture that allows work--life balance in congruence with organizational goals. A review of work--life balance defined it as "the individual perception that work and nonwork activities are compatible and promote growth in accordance with an individual's current life priorities" (Kalliath & Brough, 2008, p. 326). The instruments used to measure these variables include the Facebook Use Scale, which measures Facebook use and engagement with coworkers after hours; the Technology-Assisted Supplemental Work Survey, which measures the use of technology for work purposes after hours; the Work--Life Balance Scale, which measures work and nonwork conflict; and the Job Satisfaction Survey, which measures employee level of satisfaction. The quantitative study used correlation analysis to determine the relationship between after-hours communication as an independent variable and two dependent variables---work--life balance and job satisfaction. Participants were recruited through social media and included working professionals across multiple industries. Despite findings from previous research, the results from this study indicated linear correlations between after-hours communication, work--life balance, and job satisfaction when communication is exchanged through computers and cell phones. Additionally, there was no significance found in relation to after-hours communication by way of Facebook and work--life balance and job satisfaction. Due to an imbalance in population sample and insignificant findings, the study indicated a need for future research.