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Digi-Housekeeping: The Invisible Work of Flexibility

Author

Listed:
  • Rebecca Whiting

    (Birkbeck, University of London, UK)

  • Gillian Symon

    (Royal Holloway, University of London, UK)

Abstract

From an analysis of everyday practices of flexible working captured in video diaries, a form of pervasive but invisible support work is identified and presented. Labelled ‘digi-housekeeping’, this is work that is required to maintain the digital tools that enable flexible working, and incorporates the tasks of clearing, sorting, preparing, provisioning and troubleshooting. Through the sociocultural processes of responsibilization, personalization and work extension, interpreted here as emblematic of wider neoliberal contemporary work arrangements, digi-housekeeping is devalued and made invisible, characterizing these tasks as not ‘real’ work. Classifying these tasks as not ‘real’ work is a new kind of boundary work that supports the continuing displacement of work activities onto individual workers. It is argued that such tasks need to be made visible in order to address feelings of work intensification.

Suggested Citation

  • Rebecca Whiting & Gillian Symon, 2020. "Digi-Housekeeping: The Invisible Work of Flexibility," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 34(6), pages 1079-1096, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:woemps:v:34:y:2020:i:6:p:1079-1096
    DOI: 10.1177/0950017020916192
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. David Sarpong & Mairi Maclean, 2017. "Service nepotism in cosmopolitan transient social spaces," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 31(5), pages 764-781, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Zamani, Efpraxia D. & Spanaki, Konstantina, 2023. "Affective temporal experiences and new work modalities: The role of Information and Communication Technologies," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    2. Jamel Choukir & Munirah Sarhan Alqahtani & Essam Khalil & Elsayed Mohamed, 2022. "Effects of Working from Home on Job Performance: Empirical Evidence in the Saudi Context during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-18, March.

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