Date of Award

5-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College/School

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Department/Program

Psychology

Thesis Sponsor/Dissertation Chair/Project Chair

Cheryl Gray

Committee Member

Jennifer Bragger

Committee Member

Angela Grotto

Committee Member

Jill Cermele

Abstract

The workday inevitably exposes employees to numerous demands that induce stress reactions. Without sufficient recovery (i.e. returning stress reactions to baseline), individuals risk experiencing chronic psychological, behavioral or physical strains. With the rise of constant connectivity to work, recovery is becoming more of a challenge. However, research on the recovery-related consequences of constant connectivity, particularly its impact on health behaviors and physical health outcomes, remains scarce. To fill this gap in the literature, this research explored the relationship between constant connectivity, boundary management practices, health behaviors, and physical symptoms using a mixed-methods, multi-study design. A mixed methods pilot study (N = 55) revealed that many employees perceive an informal expectation to stay connected to work after hours, which interferes with engagement in health behaviors (e.g. nutrition, sleep, exercise). A thematic analysis of qualitative responses identified boundary management practices that may reduce employees’ perceived pressure to remain constantly connected to work. Building on these findings, Study 1 (N = 339) investigated the relationships among constant connectivity, health behaviors, and physical symptoms and explored which boundary practices identified in the pilot study were most strongly associated with health behaviors and physical symptoms. Results indicated that constant connectivity was positively associated with physical symptoms, although this relationship was not mediated by health behaviors as expected. Social structures within organizations, such as coworker support and logging after-hours work as billable time, may be particularly meaningful boundary management practices for promoting health behaviors and mitigating physical symptoms. Study 2 (N = 225) used an experimental vignette design to test whether the inclusion of explicitly non-urgent language and a boundary friendly email signature impact perceived pressure to respond to work email outside of work hours. Results suggest that these simple email strategies may reduce perceptions of availability expectations and subsequent constant connectivity. Overall, this project provides actionable insights for individuals and organizations seeking to reduce constant connectivity and support employee recovery and health.

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