The Impact of Digital Work on Work-Life Balance Among Lecturers in Private Higher Education Institutions in the Klang Valley: A Technology Affordance Perspective
Abstract
The digital revolution has reshaped higher education, particularly in Malaysia, where work-life balance ranks among the lowest globally. The transformation to digital work has greatly affected both the professional and personal lives of lecturers, raising questions about its broader impact. This study set out to examine how digital work influences work-life balance based on the technology affordances theory and determine whether user experience moderates this relationship. The study, which utilised IBM SPSS, analysed the relationship among five technology affordances (communication, coordination, knowledge sharing, decision-making, and access to resources) and work-life balance, with user experience tested as a potential moderating variable. The results showed that lecturers generally had positive attitudes towards technology affordances, with coordination receiving the highest ratings, followed by decision-making and access to resources. The correlation analysis revealed statistically significant and moderately positive relationships between work-life balance and all five affordances. The regression analysis identified access to resources as the strongest determinant of work-life balance, while coordination and knowledge sharing also had meaningful positive effects. However, communication and decision-making tools made only minimal or statistically insignificant contributions. User experience was not found to moderate the relationship between technology affordances and work-life balance. Overall, this study highlights which technology factors matter most for supporting work-life balance in higher education. It also provides practical recommendations for institutions seeking to improve their digital work environments. The findings emphasise the importance of resource accessibility, user-friendly tool design, and the need for continuous training and a supportive organisational culture.
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