Being flexible, but am I ready for work? Effect of flexibility i-deals on workplace outcomes through psychological reattachment

Abstract

Drawing on boundary theory, this research aims to explicate how and why flexibility idiosyncratic deals (i-deals) influence employees' workplace behaviours. Specifically, we propose that employees provided with flexibility i-deals are more likely to need to rebuild mental connections with their work after a non-work period. Thus, flexibility i-deals are positively related to employees' psychological reattachment to work. We further argue that psychological reattachment to work is negatively related to employees' task performance and positively related to their workplace cyberloafing. Taken together, we posit that flexibility i-deals tend to predict reduced task performance and increased workplace cyberloafing through the mediating role of psychological reattachment to work. Additionally, considering individual differences as a key boundary condition, we propose that perceived over-qualification moderates the positive relationship between flexibility i-deals and psychological reattachment, such that the positive relationship is weaker when employees are high in perceived over-qualification. By conducting two multi-wave and multisource field studies (Study 1: N = 197; Study 2: N = 243), we find support for our proposed hypotheses. Theoretical and practical implications will be discussed.