Working after hours, sharing availability expectations, and interrupting yourself: Extending perspectives on ICT-related concepts in research

This dissertation investigates Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and their role for recovery, well-being, and performance at work. The three empirical studies compiled in this dissertation investigate the influence of ICT work-related use at work and at home, as well as supervisors’ expectations regarding extended availability. The three main goals of the dissertation were to explore alternative ways of understanding ICT-related concepts, to identify additional factors that change their impact and the way they can be managed, and to implement methodological research designs that allow for an appropriate and thorough investigation of our research questions. The first study examines the temporal relationship between work- related ICT use and detachment from work with a cross-lagged panel diary study. The second study focuses on supervisors’ expectations regarding availability and concludes that explicitly sharing expectations is beneficial for subordinates. The third study differentiates between internal and external interruptions on a conceptual level and based on this, investigates their different impact on task performance in two laboratory experiments.