The Impact of E-Mail Communication on Organizational Life
The Impact of E-mail Communication on Organizational Life
Daantje Derks1, Arnold B. Bakker2
1,2 Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Abstract
Computer-mediated communication (CMC) has become mainstream in work life. This raises the question what the impact of CMC on our daily work is. Since e-mail is still the most prevalent form of CMC in organizational life, we focus predominantly on e-mail communication. The central aim of this paper is to give an overview of research on the impact of e-mail provided by personal computers and smart mobile devices on work using the JD-R model as a framework. In other words we interpreted the results of the studies used to show which aspects of e-mail communication can be considered as demands and resources, and hence complicate or facilitate our working life. The costs of e-mail seem to be disproportionally loaded on the recipient who has to deal with excessive amounts of e-mail and the pressure to answer these e-mails as soon as possible. A smartphone increases the flexibility of an employee but facilitates working long hours with a risk of disturbed work-home balance at the same time. Technology in itself is neither a demand nor a resource; it is how we deal with it.
Keywords: CMC, JD-R model, e-mail, job demands, mobile technology, smartphone.
The impact of e-mail communication on organizational life
Imagine an ordinary day at work. You probably start in the morning with a cup of coffee, greet your colleagues and then the inevitable happens, you log in on your computer. For many of us the latter simple action has become automatic behavior and we don’t even realize that this act is dominating the rest of the office day. E-mails constantly ask for attention and intrude our working schedule. The Linked In (a business-oriented social networking site) profile needs an update, one has to respond to messages on the discussion board, scan the company network for news messages, etc. Only few have the
Daantje Derks1, Arnold B. Bakker2
1,2 Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Abstract
Computer-mediated communication (CMC) has become mainstream in work life. This raises the question what the impact of CMC on our daily work is. Since e-mail is still the most prevalent form of CMC in organizational life, we focus predominantly on e-mail communication. The central aim of this paper is to give an overview of research on the impact of e-mail provided by personal computers and smart mobile devices on work using the JD-R model as a framework. In other words we interpreted the results of the studies used to show which aspects of e-mail communication can be considered as demands and resources, and hence complicate or facilitate our working life. The costs of e-mail seem to be disproportionally loaded on the recipient who has to deal with excessive amounts of e-mail and the pressure to answer these e-mails as soon as possible. A smartphone increases the flexibility of an employee but facilitates working long hours with a risk of disturbed work-home balance at the same time. Technology in itself is neither a demand nor a resource; it is how we deal with it.
Keywords: CMC, JD-R model, e-mail, job demands, mobile technology, smartphone.
The impact of e-mail communication on organizational life
Imagine an ordinary day at work. You probably start in the morning with a cup of coffee, greet your colleagues and then the inevitable happens, you log in on your computer. For many of us the latter simple action has become automatic behavior and we don’t even realize that this act is dominating the rest of the office day. E-mails constantly ask for attention and intrude our working schedule. The Linked In (a business-oriented social networking site) profile needs an update, one has to respond to messages on the discussion board, scan the company network for news messages, etc. Only few have the