Make it your Break! Benefits of Person-Break Fit for Post-Break Affect

Abstract

In this study, we examined lunch breaks from a person-environment fit perspective and hypothesized that employees who perceive high general person-break fit report lower negative and higher positive post-break affect than employees with low person-break fit. Further, we hypothesized that lunch break autonomy positively predicts perceived person-break fit and that chronic exhaustion moderates the relationship between person-break fit and post-break affect, such that the relationship is stronger when chronic exhaustion is high. Data from 227 participants surveyed at two measurement points showed that person-break fit was negatively related to post-break negative affect, with this relationship being stronger for participants experiencing high chronic exhaustion. Person-break fit was only positively associated with post-break positive affect for employees low on exhaustion. Break autonomy positively predicted employees’ perception of person-break fit. This study contributes to literature on well-being at work by highlighting the importance of fit between an employee’s general break-related needs and his or her actual breaks.