Title: Off-the-job embeddedness and work-related stress: the moderating effects of employee boundary management strategy

Authors: Andrew T. Hinrichs

Addresses: Department of Management, Operations and Marketing, College of Business Administration, California State University, Stanislaus, One University Circle, Turlock, CA 95382, USA

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between off-the-job embeddedness, work-related stress, and boundary management strategy. Often, the demands of work and life intersect to create conflict between domains, which can result in stress. An individual who is highly embedded in their community has active, demanding non-work roles, which can create resource demands that permeate their workplace. When these non-work demands enter the work domain, highly embedded individuals are more likely to experience job hindrances as stressful. Results from 194 executive-level employees showed a positive relationship between off-the-job embeddedness and stress associated with work demands. Further analysis also revealed that a work-life boundary management strategy favouring integration of the two domains weakened the relationship. Therefore, if an individual is highly embedded in their community and adopts an integration strategy toward their work and life roles, it helps reduce work-related stress.

Keywords: work stress; job embeddedness; work-life boundaries; role conflict; integration; boundary management strategy; BMS; community embeddedness; occupational stress; role stress.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHRDM.2023.129323

International Journal of Human Resources Development and Management, 2023 Vol.23 No.1, pp.1 - 19

Accepted: 21 Jun 2022
Published online: 06 Mar 2023 *

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