Impact of ICT Permeability on Work and Family Outcomes

This paper presents a framework that investigates the impact of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) permeability on work and family outcomes for dual-career couples in the context of Work-from-home (WFH). The study shows that as couples rely on ICTs to manage work, family responsibilities, and coordinate with each other, they may experience cognitive and emotional fatigue due to the limits of human resources. The framework suggests that the degree of ICT permeability in WFH situations is positively related to ICT fatigue, which can lead to avoidance and conflict between partners. Additionally, the study examines the effect of ICT permeability on work engagement and satisfaction through goal progress. We find strong support for our model, providing empirical evidence of resource allocations for employees who have pivoted to WFH with ICTs. The model was tested using a 10-day diary study of dual-career couples in live-in partnerships. The paper contributes to the literature on WFH phenomenon, which has been enabled by advanced ICTs such as emailing, messaging, and video conferencing. In practice, we provide guidance to organizations on technology use in the WFH environment.