Understanding Effects of Idle Time on Employee Outcomes: The Role of Work Characteristics and Action Regulation Strategies

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Hannes Zacher
• Subject Area: Social Psychology, Industrial and Organisational Psychology
• Term: from 2019 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 437707385

Understanding Effects of Idle Time on Employee Outcomes: The Role of Work Characteristics and Action Regulation StrategiesThe changing nature of work has resulted in increased knowledge, service, and emotion work. Research has established that associated work demands are predictive of employee health and well-being outcomes. Scholars have therefore focused on growing job demands, time pressure, strain, and burnout. Interestingly, however, only very little research focuses on situations when workers have too little or nothing to do at work, a phenomenon called idle time. Idle time at work represents a phase of involuntary downtime during which in-role tasks cannot be accomplished. The overarching goal of the proposed research program is to examine the antecedents and consequences of idle time, as well as the job characteristics and action regulation strategies that moderate these effects. Based on action regulation theory, the job demands-resources model, and affective events theory, I developed a conceptual model on idle time processes. The model focuses on three major research questions. First, which factors increase the likelihood of idle time occurrence? Second, how is the experience of idle time affecting employee outcomes, such as well-being, job satisfaction and performance? Third, how can these processes be influenced? I propose a set of six interrelated hypotheses regarding the antecedents and consequences of idle time, as well as ways to prevent and cope with idle time using action regulation strategies and associated work characteristics. I propose to test the conceptual model and hypotheses using three different study designs, with one PhD student leading the research program. The first study will examine daily experiences of idle time in naturalistic field settings using an online diary study design with two daily assessments over the course of three work weeks. Study 2 will consist of three consecutive experimental lab studies, in which predictors of idle time and strategy use will be manipulated to examine effects on work outcomes. To combine the advantages of experimental and field studies, the third study will be an intervention study with administrative workers and a waiting control group. I will inform employees about idle time processes and train them in the use of different regulation strategies to improve their work outcomes when experiencing regulation problems and idle time. Overall, the proposed research program will contribute significantly to innovative theorizing, research, and evidence-based practice in the area of occupational well-being and performance. Thereby, this project focuses on new challenges of work and organizational psychology considering the changing nature of work and associated skills in the workforce.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Netherlands
• Cooperation Partner: Dr. Antje Schmitt