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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Three-Way Interactions Among Interruptions/Multitasking Demands, Occupational Age, and Alertness: A Diary Study

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In this study, we examined the within-person relationships between workday “cognitive” stressors (multitasking demands and workflow interruptions) and strain (situational well-being throughout the day and irritation in the evening). We hypothesized that occupational age, in terms of job tenure and an indicator of functional age (alertness), would moderate these relationships in that employees with low experience and low alertness would suffer most from the stressors. We conducted a 5-day diary study in a sample of 123 nurses, with 4 measurements per day (3 taken during the work shift and 1 taken in the evening), and 1 survey (occupational age) and computer-based cognitive performance test before the diary survey. Multilevel analyses showed that multitasking and workflow interruptions have detrimental effects on situational well-being and irritation. Occupational age and alertness moderated the relationships between multitasking demands and interruptions and irritation. Furthermore, occupational age and alertness moderated the relationships between interruptions, valence, and calmness. Additionally, occupational age and alertness moderated the relationships between multitasking demands and energetic arousal. Three-way interactions showed the predicted pattern. Alertness does make a difference in the coping of stressors for less experienced employees, but not for their more experienced colleagues. According to the findings, occupational experience seems to outweigh possible cognitive losses in alertness.