Work-related use of information and communication technologies after hours and employee fatigue: the exacerbating effect of affective commitment

Abstract

Purpose

Work-related use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) after hours can be potentially detrimental to employee well-being. In the current study, we examine whether psychological detachment mediates the link between work-related use of ICTs after hours and fatigue and whether affective commitment exacerbates this mediated relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

We collected two waves of data from 295 employees in Vietnam, with 51% being female and an average age of 37.81 years old (SD = 7.93).

Findings

Work-related use of ICTs after hours was positively related to employees' fatigue via psychological detachment. The negative relationship between work-related use of ICTs after hours and psychological detachment was stronger for employees with higher affective commitment.

Practical implications

Organizations are encouraged to set policies and procedures to reduce work-related use of ICTs after hours to protect employee health; when work-related use of ICTs after hours is necessary, organizations should provide employees, especially those with higher affective commitment, with resources and strategies to better detach from this experience.

Originality/value

Our findings contribute to the understanding of how work-related use of ICTs after hours might adversely affect employee well-being through psychological detachment and that more committed employees can be more affected in this process.

Citation

Lee, S., Zhou, Z.E., Xie, J. and Guo, H. (2021), "Work-related use of information and communication technologies after hours and employee fatigue: the exacerbating effect of affective commitment", Journal of Managerial Psychology, Vol. 36 No. 6, pp. 477-490. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMP-12-2019-0677