A Conceptual Model of Online Volunteering Attaining Work-Family Balance

Abstract

A virtual health community in which doctors established various forms of information and communication technologies (ICT) facilitated platforms has created new opportunities for doctors' engagement. Doctors are increasingly using the Internet to volunteer as an alternative to traditional face-to-face volunteering since it allows work to be done in a variety of settings and arrangements. The debate over this form of virtual work, on the other hand, has inspired a slew of studies that look into issues such as the blurring of work-life boundaries. The aim of this study is to assess the experience of doctors who utilized ICT to perform online volunteering by examining the strategies that helps them to negotiate the border around their work and family life to attain a sense equilibrium. This study used case study research design and methodology. This paper presents a conceptual model for assessing online volunteer work-family balance. The model underpins the Clark's work-family Border theory and the potential to incorporate the cyber domain into a framework that highlights the gaps in existing literature on work-family and ICT. Researchers can use this model to further their understanding of virtual borders, which is crucial for integrating ICT into the work and home environment in order to achieve a better work-family balance, especially among those who engaged on online platforms.