Going with(out) the flow at home: day-to-day variability in flow and performance while teleworking

Abstract

ABSTRACT Prior research suggests that telework often is associated with higher job performance. However, this research primarily has treated days teleworking as interchangeable with one another. Given the recent surge in telework, it is important to ask how much performance varies among days spent working at home and what psychological and contextual factors explain such within-person variability. This information can assist organizations deciding how to best implement policies and support workers at home. Here, we suggest that intrusions and social isolation are obstacles to achieving flow while teleworking, such that higher daily levels of each will hinder flow on those days. In turn, this lack of flow should be associated with worsened daily performance while teleworking. To investigate these ideas, we asked 97 teleworkers to respond to a series of daily measures for up to four days (296 data points). Results showed that performance varied significantly among teleworking days, with both daily intrusions and daily isolation negatively predicting flow, which further mediated the relationship between intrusions and reduced task performance. Isolation did not significantly mediate this relationship. Moreover, conscientious individuals were especially able to leverage higher flow for performance. We discuss implications of these results.