Another trip? Functional and dysfunctional coping with business travel

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to clarify why business travel has ambivalent effects on occupational well-being. We examine associations between business travel, career satisfaction and turnover intentions, as well as the mediating role of functional and dysfunctional coping strategies.Design/methodology/approachWe collected four waves of data across three months from 676 employees (n = 147 business travelers who traveled for work at least once during the study period; n = 529 non-travelers) working in various industries and managerial positions.FindingsConsistent with expectations, the greater the extent of business travel, the higher both career satisfaction (mediated by higher emotional and instrumental support, positive reframing, and substance use, and lower venting and self-distraction, denial and self-blame, and behavioral disengagement) and turnover intentions (mediated by higher active coping and planning, venting and self-distraction, behavioral disengagement, and lower positive reframing).Practical implicationsFindings reveal that business travel presents an ambivalent psychological experience and point to the importance of obtaining and using a coping portfolio in this context.Originality/valueThis study addresses functional and dysfunctional coping as unexplored mediating mechanisms between business travel, career satisfaction, and turnover intentions and provides new insights for research and practice on business travel.