Does a Toy a Day Keep the Stress Away

Abstract

In recent years, more and more workers have begun placing toys in their office for decoration, entertainment, mental and physical relaxation, or as a way of bonding with coworkers. Some scholars have found that office toys decrease stress and improve job performance. Others have found that they divert attention from work and thus reduce job performance. The current study explores the relationship between job stress and job performance and investigates whether office toys have a moderating effect on this relationship. Based on a review of the literature, the authors propose two hypotheses. Hypothesis 1 states that job stress and job performance have an inverted U-shaped curve rather than a linear relationship. Hypotheses 2 states that office toys have a moderating effect on the relationship between job stress and job performance. The hypotheses were tested in a survey of 104 general office workers in Taiwan using a questionnaire administered electronically. The results support Hypothesis 1, but do not support Hypothesis 2.