The influence of multitasking on creative work involvement: a conservation of resources perspective
Journal of Managerial Psychology
ISSN: 0268-3946
Article publication date: 16 June 2023
Issue publication date: 6 July 2023
Abstract
Purpose
Based on conservation of resources theory, this study explored the relationship between multitasking and creative work involvement through the mediation of emotional exhaustion, taking regulatory focus as a first-stage moderator.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on a three-wave and two-source survey among a sample of 418 employees and 116 leaders, this study conducted multilevel analyses to examine the conceptual model.
Findings
The results showed that multitasking was negatively associated with creative work involvement and that emotional exhaustion mediated the relationship between multitasking and creative work involvement. Furthermore, promotion focus and prevention focus moderated the relationship between multitasking and emotional exhaustion and the indirect relationship between multitasking and creative work involvement via emotional exhaustion.
Practical implications
Organizations can promote creative work involvement through interventions that reduce employees' multitasking or emotional exhaustion. In addition, supervisors should be aware of the different responses to multitasking exhibited by employees with different regulatory focuses and could potentially assign multiple tasks to employees with either a high promotion focus or a low prevention focus.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the literature on multitasking and creative work involvement by exploring whether and how multitasking is related to creative work involvement.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This study has been funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 72062017, 72101103), the Bidding Project of Humanities and Social Sciences Key Research Base in Jiangxi Colleges and Universities (Grant No. JD21047).
Citation
Yang, J., Xie, P. and Ming, X. (2023), "The influence of multitasking on creative work involvement: a conservation of resources perspective", Journal of Managerial Psychology, Vol. 38 No. 5, pp. 305-318. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMP-05-2022-0248
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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