When both partners work from home: the hidden cost of always-on technology

When partners work from home, constant digital interruptions increase after-work frustration, strain couples’ relationships, and place a heavier psychological burden on women, UNSW research has found.

Work-from-home couples experience heightened frustration and relationship conflict when technology allows the intrusion of work into family time, according to new research from UNSW Business School.

Furthermore, women bear a disproportionate psychological burden from these digital interruptions, though simple planning strategies can help reduce the negative impacts of work technology on home life for couples.

The research examined what academics call ICT permeability, which describes how information and communication technologies such as email, text messaging, mobile phones and remote meeting applications pierce the once-solid barrier between work and home life.

When both partners work from home, this blurring of boundaries was associated with distinct challenges that differed markedly from households where only one partner worked remotely.

Understanding the research behind remote work challenges

Manju Ahuja, Scientia Professor in the School of Information Systems and Technology Management at UNSW Business School, investigated these challenges together with her co-authors in a comprehensive study, Work-Family Frustration When You and Your Partner Both Work from Home: The Role of ICT Permeability, Planning, and Gender.

Published in the Journal of the Association for Information Systems, the study is based on a 10-day diary study with 117 participants who lived with their partners while both worked from home full-time through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Participants responded to three daily online surveys over consecutive workdays, providing real-time insights into their experiences. This methodology enabled researchers to capture daily, real-time fluctuations in work-family dynamics and to reduce the retrospective bias common in traditional surveys.

This new study follows up on Prof. Ahuja’s previous research on the psychological and relational costs of working from home, despite the benefits of flexibility and avoiding the daily commute. “This overall stream of research explores the double-edged sword of technology (such as Zoom and Teams) and anytime-anywhere connectivity,” Prof. Ahuja explained.

“The previous research found that, while employees reported significantly improved productivity, they also tended to suffer from stress-related physiological symptoms (like headaches), and their relationships were adversely affected.

“With this new study, we wanted to examine whether these effects are exacerbated when both partners work from home. We were trying to understand what employees can do if they wish to maintain some form of work-life balance in the face of relentless connectivity and constant negotiations of home and work tasks with their partners.”

When work never stops

The study found that work-related technology use during personal time was associated with depletion of individuals’ limited cognitive and emotional resources, leading to what researchers termed “after-work frustration”. This frustration reflected the negative emotions people experienced when unable to fulfil family activities or personal responsibilities due to work-related interruptions.

The research also revealed a counterintuitive finding about productivity. After-work frustration was positively associated with increased job productivity in the short term, as individuals redirected their limited resources towards work tasks where they perceived higher likelihood of success and recognition.

However, this productivity boost came at a cost to family relationships. As the study noted, “attempting to complete family tasks while facing work-related activities is likely to induce frustration.”

“It is important to discuss the ways in which remote work affects work productivity in a meaningful and nuanced manner,” said Prof. Ahuja. “While it is important to look at the short-term productivity gains, it is equally important to look at the effects on the overall lives of employees because personal and professional get quite entangled in remote work settings, and eventually affect work outcomes.”

A gender divide emerges

Women experienced significantly stronger negative effects from technology-enabled work intrusions than men. The research demonstrated that despite increased workforce participation and evolving gender roles, women continued to shoulder greater responsibility for domestic chores, childcare and relationship maintenance.

The study found women are more adversely impacted for not fulfilling family demands, while men traditionally faced greater pressure to meet work obligations. This dynamic meant technology intrusions during family time were associated with more psychological distress for women.

The researchers observed that “women are often responsible for invisible labour – unnoticed and undervalued work at home that includes household chores, childcare, and emotional support for family members.”

When both partners worked from home simultaneously, neither could provide the buffering support typically available when only one partner worked remotely. Each partner faced their own technology intrusions while also managing their partner’s work demands, creating compound stress that intensified frustration levels.

Planning associated with reduced frustration

The research identified daily planning as a strategy associated with reduced frustration from technology-enabled work intrusions. Planning behaviour, which involved setting goals and prioritising tasks for both work and family activities, was linked to helping individuals maintain clearer boundaries between professional and personal domains.

The study also found that individuals who engaged in structured planning experienced weaker relationships between technology permeability and after-work frustration. Planning was associated with more effective resource allocation, reducing the sense of being overwhelmed by competing demands. The research showed that “planning behaviour is particularly salient in the context of working from home.”

“This suggests that when the remote-working partners engage in joint daily planning to account for meetings and video calls each has scheduled (which can be problematic in certain home office setups) and the domestic and childcare tasks that need to be accomplished at certain times, they face lower levels of frustration with each other and internally,” said Prof. Ahuja.

Practical implications for workers and organisations

For individuals, the research suggested actionable strategies. Couples can establish technology-free times and zones, such as a daily hour during dinner and family activities. Sharing schedules between partners allow for better coordination and reduced miscommunication about availability. Digital tools like shared calendars can also help manage the boundary between work and family time.

Organisations also have a role to play in supporting work-from-home arrangements. Employees can be trained in planning techniques to enhance time management skills and reduce family conflict.

Similarly, Prof. Ahuja said managers need to be trained in supervising remote workers and workplace cultures that accommodate home and relational life should be cultivated. “For example, employers can allow employees to block out personal time on shared calendars can also help reduce interruptions during family activities,” she said.

“The research recommended developing policies that granted employees control over flexible work while establishing clear boundaries. These policies could include restricting non-urgent work meetings after 6pm or during weekends and encouraging employees to communicate their availability within teams.

“These proactive remote work management strategies are likely to lead to higher satisfaction of remote workers, leading to higher employee retention,” Prof. Ahuja concluded.

Contact details: