A Person-Environment Fit Model to Explain Information and Communication Technologies-Enabled After-Hours Work-Related Interruptions in China

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Feb 16;20(4):3456. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20043456.

Abstract

Given the ubiquitous nature of mobile devices and information and communication technologies (ICT), after-hours work-related interruptions (AHWI) occur anywhere and anytime in China. In the current study, an alternative person-environment (P-E) fit model of ICT-enabled AHWI, hereafter referred to as IAWI, that treats polychronic variables as moderated solutions are presented. A cross-sectional survey among 277 Chinese employees (average age: 32.04 years) was conducted in September 2022 and tested by PLS-structural equation modeling to validate our hypotheses. The results indicated that IAWI had a positive influence on employees' innovative job performance and in-role job performance (β = 0.139, p < 0.05; β = 0.200, p < 0.01; β = 0.298, p < 0.001). Moreover, among employees with higher levels of polychronicity, the heightened effects of IAWI on innovative job performance were increased (β = 0.112, p < 0.05). This study offers implications for employees: under IAWI situations, they could search for a person-environment (P-E) that is fit to buffer the negative aspects of IAWI, consequently increasing their innovative job performance and in-role job performance. Future research could extend beyond this framework to explore employees' IAWI and job performance balance.

Keywords: ICT-enabled; after-hours work-related interruptions in China; in-role job performance; innovative job performance; person-environment fit; polychronicity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • China
  • Communication*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Humans
  • Job Satisfaction*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires

Grants and funding

This work was supported by The Ministry of Education of Humanities and Social Science Youth Project in China (Grant Number 22YJC630206), Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No. LQ23G020008, and the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China [Humanities and Social Sciences Research Fund 22YJAZH143].