A matter of timing? A systematic review of work scheduling dynamics in work recovery research and applications

Abstract

SummaryWork recovery reflects the replenishment of personal resources depleted by working, which has implications for employee health and wellness. However, work scheduling factors have received very limited attention in the recovery literature, despite that recovery is a dynamic process widely recognized to be influenced by contextual factors that define and influence the work role. After first conducting a narrative review of whether and how work scheduling factors are accounted for in existing theories of work recovery, we conduct a systematic review of existing work recovery research to identify any past empirical consideration of work scheduling factors in the recovery research base. We then harness the results of this systematic review to develop a taxonomy of work scheduling and related contextual factors that may be relevant to the process of recovery from work. We discuss the theoretical, practical, and methodological implications that emerged from our narrative and systematic reviews, providing guidance for how this newly developed taxonomy can be applied to understanding the implications of scheduling dynamics for work recovery across a range of different work contexts.