Abstract

SINA-WUTSCHERT, Milena; PEREIRA, Diana  and  ELFERING, Achim. Long working hours and exhaustion: a test of rumination as a mediator among mobile-flexible employees in activity-based offices. Escritos de Psicología [online]. 2022, vol.15, n.1, pp.1-15.  Epub Sep 27, 2022. ISSN 1989-3809.  https://dx.doi.org/10.24310/espsiescpsi.v15i1.12876.

The present study examines the effect of extended working hours on experienced exhaustion in the evening in mobile-flexible employees who work in activity-based offices. In a seven-day diary study, we predicted that daily rumination is a mediator, linked to additional daily exhaustion in individuals. In a morning questionnaire, mobile-flexible employees completed daily questions about the link between extended work hours and exhaustion. Thirty-three employees completed daily questions on long working hours, rumination, and exhaustion. Multilevel analyses of up to 238 daily measurements revealed that more intense extension of working hours predicted more rumination as well as exhaustion. Extended work hours and rumination both predicted more exhaustion. A test of the indirect effects showed no mediation from long working hours via rumination to exhaustion. When designing mobile-flexible work models, overtime is a risk. Occupational prevention of exhaustion should promote recovery processes, especially as new work models may lead to increased rumination due to more personal responsibility of employees.

Keywords : activity-based working; mobile-flexible work; rumination; exhaustion.

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