Title
Workdays, in-between workdays and the weekend: A diary study on effort and recovery
Author
Hooff, M.L.M.
Geurts, S.A.E.
Kompier, M.A.J.
Taris, T.W.
Publication year
2007
Abstract
Objectives: Effort-recovery theory (Meijman and Mulder in Handbook of work and organizational psychology, Psychology Press/Erlbaum, Hove, pp 5-33, 1998 proposes that effort expenditure may have adverse consequences for health in the absence of sufficient recovery opportunities. Thus, insight in the relationships between effort and recovery is imperative to understand work-related health. This study therefore focused on the relation between work-related effort and recovery (1) during workdays, (2) in-between workdays and (3) in the weekend. For these three time periods, we compared a group of employees reporting relatively low levels of work-related effort ("low-effort group") and a group of employees reporting relatively high levels of work-related effort ("high-effort group") with respect to (1) activity patterns, (2) the experience of these activity patterns, and (3) health and well-being indicators. Methods: Data were collected among university staff members. Participants (Nhigh-effort group = 24 and Nlow-effort group = 27) completed a general questionnaire and took part in a 7-day daily diary study covering five weekdays and the following weekend. Differences between the two effort-groups were examined by means of analysis of variance. Results: Compared to the low-effort group, the high-effort group (1) engaged less often in active leisure activities during the week and worked more overtime in the weekend, (2) considered both work and home activities as more effortful, but not as less pleasurable, and (3) reported higher levels of sleep complaints (weekdays only) and fatigue, more preoccupation with work (weekdays only) and lower motivation to start the next workweek during the weekend. Conclusions: Work-related effort is associated with various aspects of work time and (potential) recovery time in-between workdays and in the weekend. High levels of work-related effort are associated with activity patterns that are less beneficial in terms of recovery, with higher effort expenditure during and after work time, and with diminished health and well-being. © Springer-Verlag 2007.
Subject
Workplace
Arbeidsparticipatie
Diary study
Effort
Recovery
University staff
adult
analysis of variance
controlled study
employee
energy expenditure
experience
health status
job performance
leisure
occupational health
physical activity
questionnaire
university
wellbeing
working time
Exertion
Fatigue
Female
Humans
Leisure Activities
Male
Middle Aged
Occupational Health
Sleep
Sleep Disorders
Stress, Psychological
Time Factors
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http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:65d70eb4-1b2f-4806-a4cd-0a5afcf809d9
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-007-0172-5
TNO identifier
240039
ISSN
0340-0131
Source
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, 80 (7), 599-613
Document type
article