Privacy and availability needs regarding user preferences for Smart Availability Assistant – towards a digitally enabled work life balance

Abstract

The use of communication technologies (CTs) enables blurring the traditional boundaries between work and private life. Many employers are worried about this situation and addressed those issues with different technological and organizational approaches. The goal of our research is to introduce improved enterprise availability management by developing an employee-friendly technological solution that actually reflects the variety of employees’ availability needs. Due to the overall aim of broadening and bridging research on an availability management, results of a quantitative study (N=821) insights into the management of individuals’ availability and key requirements regarding the development of a Smart Availability Assistant. In general, it became apparent that to appropriately design this kind of smart assistant we must not only recognize the heterogeneity of peoples’ availability preferences but also identify and meet employees’ privacy expectations by use of a Smart Availability Assistant.