The Hidden Cost of Connectivity: Examining the Impact of Off-Hours Work-Related Social Media Usage on Employee Exhaustion through Work–Family Conflict

The increasing digitalization of work has intensified expectations of constant employee availability, extending job demands beyond formal working hours through work-related social media use. Drawing on the Job Demands–Resources (JD–R) model and Boundary Theory, this study examines the direct and indirect effects of off-hours work-related social media use on employee engagement and exhaustion, with work–family conflict as a mediating mechanism. Using a quantitative cross-sectional design, data were collected from 430 lecturers and professors in public and private universities in Rawalpindi–Islamabad, Pakistan. Structural equation modeling using SmartPLS shows that off-hours work-related social media use is positively associated with both engagement and exhaustion, reflecting its dual motivational and strain-inducing role. Furthermore, work–family conflict partially mediates these relationships by weakening engagement and intensifying exhaustion. The findings underscore the need for organizations to manage “always-on” digital expectations to safeguard employee well-being.