From Multitasking to Mastering: How Polychronicity-Monochronicity Flexibility and Work Conditions Shape the Effects of COVID-19 Stress on Ego Depletion and Job Performance.

Abstract

Drawing on the resource-based view of self-control and Conservation of Resources theory, this study examines how COVID-19-related stress impairs job performance through ego depletion and investigates the joint moderating roles of polychronicity-monochronicity flexibility (P-M flexibility) and work conditions (in-office vs. remote). Using a two-wave design, I collected survey data from 469 full-time employees across diverse industries in Taiwan before and after the implementation of strict pandemic-related measures, including remote work mandates. The results showed that COVID-19 stress significantly increased ego depletion, thereby negatively affecting job performance. Importantly, a significant three-way interaction revealed that the buffering effect of P-M flexibility against stress-induced ego depletion was more pronounced among office-based employees. Specifically, in structured office contexts characterised by high external regulatory demands, employees with high P-M flexibility experienced lower ego depletion and maintained better job performance despite elevated stress. Conversely, remote work autonomy partially substituted the need for internal adaptability yet posed challenges for those with low P-M flexibility. These findings advance COR theory by highlighting the context-sensitive compensatory and substitutive functions of personal and contextual resources in managing prolonged stress. Practically, the results emphasise the necessity of context-specific interventions aimed at enhancing employees' temporal adaptability to sustain resilience and performance under stressful conditions.