Development of the time management environment (TiME) scale

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to propose an integrative model of time management, and in particular develop a scale to measure organizational variables which would facilitate and support time management practices. The research also examined whether the time management environment is related to turnover intentions and stress.Design/methodology/approachThree studies are reported. Study 1 sampled 262 employees from 20 organizations and these data were used for the initial factor analysis of the time management environment (TiME) scale. Study 2 sampled 205 employees from an aircraft maintenance organization, and these data were used to further refine the factor structure of the TiME scale, to conduct a CFA, examine the relationship between the TiME scale factors and turnover intentions, and to examine the test‐retest reliability of the TiME scale. Study 3 sampled 156 employees across eight organizations, and these data were used to examine the relationship between the TiME scale factors and stress.FindingsThe TiME scale has five factors, and each has acceptable internal consistency and test‐retest reliability. TiME scale factor scores were negatively correlated with both turnover intentions and stress.Research limitations/implicationsThe research did not examine the convergent and discriminant validity of the TiME scale.Practical implicationsThe TiME scale provides for the assessment of whether an organization's environment is facilitating and supporting its employees' attempts to engage in time management, and can also be used as a measure of transfer climate for time management training interventions.Originality/valueThe TiME scale addresses a gap in the time management literature. It has considerable applied value, and along with our integrative model should allow for the development of a more complex understanding of the time management process.