Late-night Smartphone Usage and Job Performance: Roles of Work Withdrawal and Emotional Regulation

Abstract

Applying the dual theories of stressor-strain-outcome and ego-depletion in the technology-based working environment, this study examines how late-night smartphone usage for work could impact on employee’s job performance. Using two-waves of data collected from 373 valid responses by supervisor-subordinate dyads, we test the mediating effect of work withdrawal and moderating role of self-emotional regulation ability on the relationship between late-night smartphone usage and job performance. Results reveal that more late-night smartphone usages by employees lead to a higher level of withdrawal behavior, which in turn lower their job performance. However, employees’ self-emotion regulation ability help mitigate the negative impact of late-night smartphone usage on their withdrawal intentions. The second stage moderation result shows that people with a higher level of self-emotion regulation ability tend to better manage their late-night smartphone usage with less work withdrawal behavior, which enables them to achieve better job performance. Implications of the findings to research and practice especially under the changing technology and work patterns are discussed.