Effects of Idle Time on Well-Being: An Experimental Study

Abstract

Idle time is a time during which employees are unable to complete work tasks for reasons beyond their control, which negatively impacts their performance and well-being. However, it has not yet been examined whether the objective event or the subjective appraisal of this situation causes these effects. Drawing on affective events theory, we conducted an experiment (N = 338) in which we manipulated objective idle time and measured the effects on well-being, mediated by subjective idle time. We found that objective idle time positively predicted subjective idle time, which in turn was negatively related to affect but not to task satisfaction. We found indirect effects of objective idle time on affect through subjective idle time. Boredom proneness was positively and age was negatively associated with subjective idle time. The results are consistent with affective events theory and suggest that idle time is appraised as such and negatively influences affect.