Work-Nonwork Satisfaction in Work 4.0 Era

Abstract

The implication of increasing pervasive connectivity is a source of concern for an increasingly broad range of stakeholders, and particularly with respect to its impact on individual well-being and work performance. Introducing a further dimension to contemporary conversations on the topic, and drawing on a survey of 403 Australian white-collar employees this paper uses a set-theoretic approach (fsQCA) to identify how spillover media use occurs at the intersection of online enterprise networking and cyberloafing. Using boundary theory, it identifies the implications for work and nonwork satisfaction, reporting how online enterprise networking at home for work purposes and online social networking at work for personal purposes (cyberloafing) both enhance work satisfaction. Although many organizations are expanding opportunities for online enterprise networking while at the same time limiting opportunities for cyberloafing in the workplace, the paper suggests that they should be aware of the potentially damaging effects on employees’ work and nonwork satisfaction more broadly.