Daily Work Characteristics: Implications for Interruptions and Goal Attainment

Interruptions are a common and consequential issue for many workers. Although several studies have examined work interruptions, little research has explored work characteristics as potential antecedents of interruptions, particularly from a within-person perspective. The current study examined this issue by investigating how several prominent job characteristics relate to employee interruptions and goal attainment using a daily diary design. Specifically, 162 employed individuals completed daily measures of work characteristics (job autonomy, task variety, job complexity, and task interdependence), external interruption (intrusion) frequency, internal interruption (mind wandering) frequency, and goal attainment. Results from multilevel modeling analyses demonstrated links between work characteristics and intrusions and between mind wandering and goal attainment. These findings contribute to our understanding of both work interruptions and work design and may inform practical applications related to managing interruptions.