TY - JOUR

T1 - Make it your Break! Benefits of Person-Break Fit for Post-Break Affect

AU - Venz, Laura

AU - Bosch, Christine

AU - Pinck, Anna Sophia

AU - Sonnentag, Sabine

PY - 2019/6/1

Y1 - 2019/6/1

N2 - In this study, we examined lunch breaks from a person-environment fit perspective and hypothesized that employees who perceive high general person-break fit report lower negative and higher positive post-break affect than employees with low person-break fit. Further, we hypothesized that lunch break autonomy positively predicts perceived person-break fit and that chronic exhaustion moderates the relationship between person-break fit and post-break affect, such that the relationship is stronger when chronic exhaustion is high. Data from 227 participants surveyed at two measurement points showed that person-break fit was negatively related to post-break negative affect, with this relationship being stronger for participants experiencing high chronic exhaustion. Person-break fit was only positively associated with post-break positive affect for employees low on exhaustion. Break autonomy positively predicted employees’ perception of person-break fit. This study contributes to literature on well-being at work by highlighting the importance of fit between an employee’s general break-related needs and his or her actual breaks.

AB - In this study, we examined lunch breaks from a person-environment fit perspective and hypothesized that employees who perceive high general person-break fit report lower negative and higher positive post-break affect than employees with low person-break fit. Further, we hypothesized that lunch break autonomy positively predicts perceived person-break fit and that chronic exhaustion moderates the relationship between person-break fit and post-break affect, such that the relationship is stronger when chronic exhaustion is high. Data from 227 participants surveyed at two measurement points showed that person-break fit was negatively related to post-break negative affect, with this relationship being stronger for participants experiencing high chronic exhaustion. Person-break fit was only positively associated with post-break positive affect for employees low on exhaustion. Break autonomy positively predicted employees’ perception of person-break fit. This study contributes to literature on well-being at work by highlighting the importance of fit between an employee’s general break-related needs and his or her actual breaks.

KW - Health sciences

KW - Lunch break

KW - Fit

KW - Affect

KW - Autonomy

KW - Exhaustion

U2 - 10.1007/s41542-019-00036-2

DO - 10.1007/s41542-019-00036-2

M3 - Journal articles

VL - 3

SP - 167

EP - 186

JO - Occupational Health Science

JF - Occupational Health Science

SN - 2367-0142

IS - 2

ER -