Work-related use of information and communication technologies after-hours (W_ICTs) and employee innovation behavior: a dual-path model

Abstract

PurposeThe current study aims to identify work-related use of information and communication technologies after-hours (W_ICTs) from passive and active perspectives and examine mechanisms and different effects of information and communication technologies on employee innovation behavior.Design/methodology/approachExperience sampling method (ESM) was employed to capture dynamic within-person variance in daily-behaviors and daily-mood. In total, 92 employees completed an identical online survey each day for ten workdays.FindingsThe findings showed that the influence patterns and mechanisms of passive and active W_ICTs were utterly different. Passive W_ICTs was negatively associated with employee innovation behavior via emotional exhaustion, while active W_ICTs was positively associated with employee innovation behavior through perceived insider status. Furthermore, differential leadership significantly narrowed the positive relationship between passive W_ICTs and emotional exhaustion. However, differential leadership did not significantly moderate the relationship between active W_ICTs and perceived insider status.Originality/valueThis study is an important step forward in dividing W_ICTs into passive and active W_ICTs and discovers a dual path of two types of W_ICTs on employee innovation behavior. Findings of this study have heuristic value for future research.

A Person-Environment Fit Model to Explain Information and Communication Technologies-Enabled After-Hours Work-Related Interruptions in China

“…Resource investments can serve as coping mechanisms to gain potential returns [ 52 ]. When employees experience IAWI, they may discover new approaches to innovatively use information technology as a means of increasing productivity [ 26 ]. In other words, employees invest resources to cope with IAWI, view IAWI from the positive side [ 52 , 53 , 54 ], and consequently achieve innovative job performance.…”

“…In particular, they focused on exploring the negative connotation of interruptions, i.e., increased emotional exhaustion and decreased task performance correlating with interruptions from a negative perspective [ 10 , 11 ]. However, interruptions may not always be counterproductive, as they may even yield desirable gains among Chinese employees from a positive perspective [ 26 ]. IAWI can be viewed as a mere activity or behavior that helps employees achieve organizational tasks and self-fulfillment [ 5 , 53 , 54 , 81 ].…”

“…This shift alters employees’ perceptions of IAWI. For instance, IAWI may be deemed positive, necessary, and constructive, providing a flexible and cross-domain environment for employees, consequently increasing their behavioral outcomes [ 5 , 25 , 26 ]. The P-E fit theory has been used in several digital technology studies and proven positive organizational outcomes, such as organizational commitment and improved task performance [ 5 , 24 ].…”

The spillover effect of work connectivity behaviors on employees' family: Based on the perspective of work-home resource model

“…In this context, work connectivity behaviors emerged, which is a new type of interaction between the individual, team, and organizational work (Khalid et al, 2021 ). The generation of work connectivity behavior relies on information technology innovation, which refers to the behavior of individuals to handle work or participate in workplace social interaction through communication devices and technologies during non-working hours (Richardson and Benbunan-Fich, 2011 ; Huo et al, 2022 ). Since the concept was proposed, scholars have successively explored the impact of work connectivity behaviors on employees' family outcomes.…”

“…Relevant studies have pointed out that the way employees treat work will affect the impact of work on individuals (Schulte-Braucks et al, 2019 ). Therefore, as a typical boundary crossing behavior between work and non-work, how work connectivity behaviors will affect employees and their families depends on how employees treat such behavior (Huo et al, 2022 ). Based on previous studies, we consider the willingness of employees to participate in work connectivity behaviors and further divide work connectivity behaviors into proactive connectivity behaviors and passive connectivity behaviors from the perspective of subjective motivation (Huo et al, 2022 ).…”