This study aims to determine the predictors of smartphone intrusion, perceived sense of control, and work-life balance. This Dissertation/Master's Thesis entitled "HACKING SMARTPHONES AND WORK-LIFE BALANCE AMONG WORKING NEW ADULTS: THE POTENTIAL ROLE OF PERCEIVED SENSE OF CONTROL".
Background of Study
Thus, this dissertation aims to study the relationship between smartphone interference and the work-life balance of emerging adults. Thus, this dissertation also aims to study perceived sense of control as a potential moderator of the relationship between smartphone interference and work-life balance among emerging adults.
Problem Statement
However, the level of focus on how sense of control may influence the relationship between smartphone use and work-life balance remains unclear. In addition, "telepressure" has also become one of the factors contributing to work-life imbalance.
Research Objectives
To determine the predictor of work-related smartphone interference during personal hours on work-life balance among emerging working adults. To determine the moderating role of perceived sense of control on smartphone interference with work during personal hours and work-life balance among emerging working adults.
Research Questions
To determine the predictors of smartphone intrusion for personal leisure during work hours on work-life balance among employed emerging adults. Does perceived sense of control moderate smartphone intrusion for personal leisure during work hours toward work-life balance among employed emerging adults.
Significance of Study
Therefore, this study aims to study the prediction of smartphone penetration on the work-life balance among the working new adults to bring. In terms of research, this study aims to contribute to the growing literature on emerging adults focusing on their views on work-life balance via smartphone.
Hypothesis
Conceptual Definition
Smartphone intrusion for personal leisure during work hours refers to engaging in smartphone activities for personal leisure, such as browsing social networking sites, online shopping, and entertainment-related activities (e.g., watching movies) during work hours or the time allotted for the work resulting in the negligence. responsibilities and non-productivity related to work (Fotiadis, et al., 2019). Perceived control refers to the belief that an individual has about whether they have the abilities and important characteristics that will influence their actions (Perry et al., 2010).
Operational Definition
Perceived control is characterized by the sense of control score, which measures the personal mastery and personal limitation that people believe they have. The total score on this scale ranges from 12 to 84, with a higher score indicating a greater sense of control.
Introduction
Smartphone and Work-Life Balance
Although the smartphone has brought many benefits to its users, it has a significant share of adverse effects (Sowon et al., 2019). As the boundaries between work and life become permeable, the risk of work-life imbalance also increases (Derks, et al., 2015).
Perceived Sense of Control over Smartphone Intrusion
H2: Smartphone intrusion for leisure time during work hours negatively predicts work-life balance among emerging adults. H4: Perceived Sense of Control moderates smartphone intrusion for personal leisure during work hours and work-life balance.
Work-Life Balance
Nevertheless, the definitions of work-life balance still vary across the studies, depending on their topic and areas of interest (Powell, et al., 2019). Despite their job search in this phase, emerging adults place great emphasis on work-life balance (Arnett, 2015). In this study, the concept of work-life balance will anchor on the life priorities of the emerging adult.
Theoretical Framework
Finally in Boundary Theory, boundaries and domain members also play a role in helping the individual achieve and maintain a balanced work life. Boundary keepers are those who also share influencing power with the individual in a certain domain, such as supervisors in the work domain and parents in the personal life domain. Clark (2000) stated that an open communication between the individual and the boundary keepers and the commitment of members of other fields to the individual can reduce the risk of conflicts that can cause an imbalance in work life.
Conceptual Framework
The dependent variable is work-life balance, while the moderating variable is perceived sense of control. The control variables in this study consist of the employed new adults' age, their employment status, and their gender. In conclusion, this dissertation aims to examine the prediction of smartphone use on work-life balance through the moderating effect of perceived sense of control among employed emerging adults.
Introduction
Research Design
Research Sample
This research used non-probability, convenience and purposive sampling to collect the required sample size. Considering that it is not possible to obtain the list of names of all emerging working adults from every possible company in Malaysia, where the inclusive criteria are emerging adults in active employment at the time of data collection, and criteria exclusive are emerging adults who are full-time students, therefore a non-probability, convenience and purposive sampling is seen as the most appropriate method for this study.
Instrumentation
The personal mastery dimension has a total of 4 items, for example "I can only do anything that I really set my mind to", with a 7-point Likert scale where participants have to indicate how much they agree or disagree with that statement ranging from (1) strongly agree to (7) strongly disagree, with a coefficient alpha of .70. The second dimension personal limitation, has a total of 8 items, for example "There is little I can do to change many of the important things in my life.", with 7-point Likert scale ranging from (1) voice strongly agree to (7) strongly disagree, with a coefficient alpha of .86. Work-life balance will be measured using the Work-Life Balance (WLB) developed by Hill et al (2001) with the coefficient alpha of 0.83.
Pilot Study
Research Procedure
Data Analysis
Regarding the third (H3) hypothesis and the fourth (H4) hypothesis, the PROCESS Macro by Andrew Hayes was used to measure the effect of the moderator between smartphone use and work-life balance.
Introduction
Assumptions for Multiple Linear Regression Analysis
Skewness and kurtosis for work-life-life, personal-life-work-life, and work-life balance. Tolerance value and VIF for work life to personal life and personal life to work life. According to Allen and Bennett (2012), the absence of a clear pattern in the scatter points within the scatter plot indicates that the assumptions of linearity and .
Multiple Linear Regression Analysis
However, in terms of its effect size, Cohen (1988) suggested that anf² value of 0.02 could be considered a small effect size, fof 0.15 could be considered medium, and f² of 0.35 can be considered a large effect size. ANOVA statistics between work life in personal life, personal life in work, perceived sense of control and work-life balance. Multiple regression analysis of work-to-life and personal-to-work life in the prediction of work-life balance.
PROCESS Macro for Moderation
Regarding the slope for perceived control in predicting work-life balance at each level of smartphone use (refer to Table 4.10) it can be seen that at -1 standard deviation (SD), in the perceived control variable (which represents low perceived control) , the relationship between smartphone use for personal leisure during working hours and work-life balance was negative and significant (b= -.25, s.e.= 0.56, p< .001). However, in the +1SDon perceived control variable (representing high perceived control), the relationship between smartphone use for personal leisure during work hours and work-life balance was not significant (b= - .07, s.e.= 0.49, p= .14). The interaction plot of personal life with work life smartphone use (X) and perceived sense of control (W) on work-life balance (Y) is shown in Figure 4.4 below.
Introduction
Smartphone and Work-Life Balance
This neglect will eventually lead to dissatisfaction with the achievements that the individual experiences in a non-work domain (Wayne et al., 2016). These reasons could eventually lead them to engage in cybergaming or spending excessive time on their smartphones for personal leisure during working hours (Andel et al., 2019; Pindek et al., 2018), which could caused dissatisfaction in their work. For emerging adults who do not opt for tertiary education or recent graduates, the workforce is the next common platform to explore their identity (Grosemans et al., 2018).
Perceived Control on Smartphone Use and Work-Life Balance
However, perceived sense of control is effective as a moderator when it comes to smartphone use for personal leisure during work hours and work-life balance. In this study, emerging adults' perceived sense of control enables them to limit their smartphone use for personal recreation during work hours because it may present the negative image of being slack and irresponsible or unproductive at work. However, for the same reason of not wanting to make a bad impression, emerging adults may see that smartphone use for work during personal hours is beyond their control and will inevitably hinder their work-life balance.
Limitations of Study
Third, the use of a one-tailed test is considered more appropriate for this study, as the use of PROCESS Macro is unable to best represent and explain the prediction of smartphones' work-life balance intrusion.
Recommendation for Future Studies
The nature of the work may also be a factor that will affect the requirements and limitations of smartphone use. Future research could examine different job sectors and the demands and expectations they have for their employees' availability after work and the policy and.
Implications
However, there have been no known studies conducted on smartphone use and work-life balance among Malaysian adults. Additionally, this study was able to contribute to the literature gap on the proposed moderation of perceived control over smartphone use and work-life balance. The findings of this study established that a perceived sense of control is an important moderator of smartphone use for personal leisure during work hours and work-life balance.
Conclusion
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A qualitative exploration of employees' work-life balance in the context of constant online availability [Master's thesis, Jönköping University, Sweden]. 12 I feel that using my smartphone during working hours for personal reasons interferes with my work life.
