Journal Article

Too Close for Comfort? Investigating the Nature and Functioning of Work and Non-work Role Segmentation Preferences

Methot, Jessica R., LePine, Jeffery A.

2016

Overview

Purpose We examine the bi-directional nature of role segmentation preferences— preferences to protect the home domain from work intrusions , and to protect the work domain from home intrusions —and hypothesize that the dimensions independently prompt individuals to manage their boundaries in ways that complement their preferences. Design and Methodological Approach In a series of three studies, we investigate whether segmentation preferences vary on two dimensions, how they reflect enactive and proactive boundary management, and their association with domain-specific satisfaction and performance. Findings In Study 1 (field design, n  = 314), we confirmed that segmentation preferences comprise two distinct dimensions, and individuals experience fewer intrusions into the domain they desired to protect. In Study 2 (experimental design, n  = 1253), we found that participants who prefer to protect their home domain are less inclined to accept jobs in scenarios where their significant other is employed in the same organization, and participants who prefer to protect their work domain are less inclined to initiate a romantic relationship in scenarios that involve a coworker. In Study 3 (field design, n  = 65), we found that individuals who prefer to protect their work or home domain report greater satisfaction with the preferred domain, and whereas the preference to protect the work domain is not associated with higher supervisor ratings of job performance, preference to protect the home domain is associated with higher significant-other ratings of non-work performance. Implications Understanding employees’ proclivities to blur boundaries can inform recruitment and selection of employees to anticipate organizational fit, diagnose sources of misfit, structure individualized policies to ameliorate employee strain, and decrease turnover costs. Originality/Value This synthesis provides a unique investigation of segmentation preference dimensions’ differential functioning and reinforces the validity of the role segmentation preferences concept.

• Publisher: Springer Science + Business Media,Springer US,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Behavioral Science and Psychology / Boundaries / Business and Management / Community and Environmental Psychology / Employees / Hypotheses / Industrial and Organizational Psychology / Job performance / Occupational stress / ORIGINAL PAPER / Personality and Social Psychology / Preferences / Psychology / Sex roles / Social Sciences / Studies / Work life balance