Bryan HayResearchers from Aston University, the University of Bath, and IESE Business School have identified a correlation between “phubbing” — ignoring one’s partner in favour of mobile phone use — and reduced creativity in the workplace among women.
The study, which analysed diary entries from 65 full-time, dual-income heterosexual couples with children in the United States, highlights the negative impact of mobile phone use on social interactions and the support couples provide each other.
The research builds on previous findings that supportive interactions with co-workers can enhance creativity in the workplace through a positive spillover effect into home life. However, this benefit appears to be gender-specific, significantly aiding women more than men. Women, often expected to balance home and work responsibilities, tend to convert this support into creative energy at work more effectively.
The study suggests that women are particularly adept at using supportive home environments to engage in proactive “job-crafting,” which includes seeking new challenges and building stronger workplace relationships, ultimately enhancing their job satisfaction and creativity.
Dr. Siqi Wang, from Aston Business School, emphasised the importance of a supportive work-family environment and suggested that employers should consider implementing policies that limit technology use, particularly for work purposes outside office hours. She advocates for work-family supervisor training programs that emphasize effective communication and technology boundaries.
Professor Yasin Rofcanin of the University of Bath’s Future of Work research centre highlighted that phone usage undermines couple connectivity and the ability to address mutual stresses, thus disrupting the support mechanism essential for creative outputs at work.
