Are workflow interruptions a hindrance stressor? The moderating effect of time-management skill

Workflow interruptions are a pervasive job stressor detrimental to employee job performance and wellbeing. Previous studies noted that the detrimental effect was intervened by increased job demands (i.e., demand accumulation mechanism). Yet, little attention has been paid to employees’ stressor appraisal, a critical mechanism of stress process from transactional perspective. Moreover, we lack of knowledge about what malleable, action-based coping strategies can reduce the negative effect of workflow interruptions. To address these limitations, we collected data from a sample of IT professionals using a 5-day daily diary design. With 330 daily observations from 75 employees, the findings revealed that by controlling for the mediating effect of time pressure (i.e., demand accumulation mechanism), hindrance appraisal mediated the negative relationship between workflow interruptions and task performance as well as the positive relationship between workflow interruptions and psychological distress. More importantly, time-management skill was found to buffer the relationship between workflow interruptions and hindrance appraisal through which it further weakens the relationship of workflow interruptions with task performance and with psychological distress. Theoretical contributions and practical implications are discussed

The Cognitive Control Model of Work-related Flow

Although several models of flow have been proposed that include environmental and trait-based antecedents of the state, elements of cognitive control that enable workers to experience flow and its subsequent outcomes at work have largely been overlooked. This research proposes and provides empirical support for the “Cognitive Control Model of Work-related Flow,” which integrates antecedents of flow at work related to the ability to focus concentration of cognitive resources toward experiencing flow at work. Along with flow at work, the model includes the antecedents of grit, flow metacognition, and mindfulness at work and the outcomes of work performance, engagement, and burnout. Findings across three studies (a cross-sectional, a time-lagged, and a one-day experience sampling method study) utilizing MTurk participants provided support for the model, as grit, mindfulness, and flow metacognition predicted flow, and flow predicted subjective performance, engagement, and burnout. Theoretical implications and the potential for developing flow interventions at work are discussed