Connectivity to Work and Work-Life Behaviors: A Review and Research Agenda

Examining the aspects of constant connectivity to the workplace and identifying key work-life behavioral patterns among employees in the current mobile device-enabled, always-connected environment is vital and has gained substantial research attention. Nevertheless, this subject has not been systematically analyzed in terms of a continuum of different dimensions of constant connectivity to work. Hence, exploring these dimensions is crucial to understanding employees’ work-life strategies and behaviors. This study conducted a systematic literature review to bridge this gap. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Metanalysis Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist was used, and 48 studies were analyzed. The research questions were answered using thematic content and descriptive analysis. The analysis synthesized three prominent dimensions of constant connectivity: unremitting availability, presumed availability, and needful disconnectivity. Furthermore, constant connectivity to work across the transitioning stages between the work and life domains altered an individual's work-life conflict, work-life balance, and work-life boundaries. These linkages present avenues for employees, organizations, and policymakers to implement practices that enhance benefits and minimize the costs of constant connection to the organization, which would regulate employee work-life behavior regarding constant connectedness.