Daily reports on work engagement, productivity, cognitive ability, and psychological detachment from work for adults with or without physical activity after work

Abstract

The long-term benefits of physical activity (PA) on both physical and psychological well-being are well proven (see meta-analysis by Reed & Ones, 2006). The association between PA and important organizational variables as employees’ psychological detachment from work during leisure time, next day’s work engagement, productivity, and cognitive ability, however, has not been sufficiently examined in the context of organizations. The aim of this study was to compare adult groups that engaged in PA after work to those who did not in order to study daily dynamics of these variables. In this study, 42 participants, aged 21 to 52, 33 women and nine men - took part over the duration of 5 days. Between groups, there were no significant differences found in any of the organizational variables, however, a significant day effect of the measurement was observed in daily (state) work engagement (SWE) and its subscale vigor, as well as in productivity and cognitive ability. The effect of the interaction between the measurement day and the group was significant for psychological detachment measure.