Group-based instant messaging in Finnish residential elder care work: Taming the technology or vice versa?

Abstract

As new communication technologies become embedded in care work, there is a need to understand how they affect its temporal order. This article analyses group-based mobile instant messaging (IM) in residential elder care work in Finland. The article asks (i) how care workers use group-based messaging for work; and (ii) how they negotiate the rules for its use. Theoretically, the article draws on science and technology studies focusing on ‘taming’ and ‘unleashing’ (Pols, 2017), and temporality (Wajcman, 2008). Analysis is based on a qualitative interview study of care workers and nurses (n = 25) conducted in 2018. The results showed how the time-shifting functionality of IM allows employees to ‘tame the technology’ and unleash effective communication practices. However, IM also increases a risk of boundless accessibility and tames its users, pointing to a growing need for time work to manage their work-life balance in the complex temporal order of care work.