Knowledge Work ‘Unplugged’ - Digital Detox Effects on ICT Demands, Job Performance and Satisfaction

Information and communication technologies (ICT) have gained immense importance in the world of work. Knowledge workers, however, do not only benefit from ICT use. One drawback is the so-called ICT availability demand which is associated with a constant pressure to be online, including after-work time. This demand can have severe consequences on the individual such as impaired wellbeing, harmed job performance and satisfaction. This paper scrutinizes the extent to which digital detox, a periodic disconnection from technology, can support knowledge workers to prevent and cope with ICT availability demands. A two-week online experiment was conducted to measure the effects of digital detox in the context of knowledge work. The results indicate a significant decrease in ICT availability demands after conducting digital detox. Moreover, this paper derives theoretical and practical implications about how digital detox can be understood and applied in organizational contexts