Managing Boundaries Between Work And Non-Work Domains: Personality And Job Characteristics And Adopted Style

With an increasing overlap between the work and non-work domain, more research is needed to understand the factors that relate to how individuals manage their boundaries across multiple roles (i.e., work roles, family roles). Using a sample of 498 individuals, we explored the relationships between personality, O*NET job characteristic variables, and boundary management styles. Results revealed that job responsibility and work structure related to cross-role interruptions and work identity centrality. Further, conscientiousness was related to greater perceptions of boundary control, family identity centrality, and fewer interruptions of work, while neuroticism was related to fewer interruptions of non-work. Finally, the present findings replicated four of six defined boundary management styles put forth in prior research. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.Practitioner pointsIndividuals may differ in how they enact boundaries between work and non-work as related to their individual personality.The job in which one works may relate to the manner in which boundaries between work and non-work are managed.Organizational efforts to help employees with boundary management may be improved if job context and employee individual differences are noted and accommodated.