Gender, polychronicity, and the work–family interface: is a preference for multitasking beneficial?

Abstract

This study examined how polychronicity, or the preference to do several things concurrently, was related to work and family overload, work-family (W-F) conflict, and outcomes in the work, family and life domains (i.e., turnover intent, family and life satisfaction). Using Conservation of Resources theory as a framework, polychronicity was conceptualized as a resource that could be used to reduce work and family overload. The participants were 553 employed parents from Canada and the United States. Results indicated that polychronicity was related to lower work overload. Lower work overload was related to lower work interference with family conflict, lower turnover intent, and higher family and life satisfaction. We also examined gender differences and found that, although women scored significantly higher than men on family overload and family satisfaction, and significantly lower than men on life satisfaction, there was no mean gender difference on polychronicity. In addition, the path coefficients in the model were not significantly different for men and women.

Multitasking in Knowledge Intensive Business Services

“…Fischer and Hommel (2012) [16] Performing two tasks concurrently x Franssila et al (2016) [17] When an individual is handling more than one task at the same time x Matton et al (2016) [18] Management of concurrent sub-tasks x Walter et al (2017) [19] Continuing the primary task while also attending to the secondary task x x Kenyon and Lyons (2007) [20] The simultaneous conduct of two or more activities during a given time period x Korabik et al (2016) [21] The behaviour of doing more than one thing simultaneously x Konig et al (2005) [22] The ability to accomplish multiple task goals in the same general time period by engaging in frequent switches between individual tasks x x Judd (2013) [23] Switching to and from at least one task, within a series of tasks, on more than one occasion x x…”

“…The office-worker domain represents an example of sequential multitasking: the worker might focus on writing a paper for several minutes to hours before switching to another task, perhaps later resuming the original interrupted task [33]. Korabik, et al (2017) differentiate between natural multitasking like talking while eating or driving while listening to the radio and time-driven multitasking which is prompted by time pressure [21]. Kraushaar and Novak (2010) have researched the phenomena of multitasking in the context of learning.…”

“…An individual's multitasking ability is related to different individual characteristics in the scientific literature, the time management orientation (TMO) being one of the most often cited traits. TMO also labelled as Time Management Preference, time use orientation, time use strategy, and preferred pattern of time utilisation is an individual difference variable that pertains to one's preference about the utilisation of time [21].…”

User Acceptance of HUMP-Model: The Role of E-Mavenism and Polychronicity

“…It has been tagged diversely in the literature as a preferred pattern of time utilization, time management style, time use orientation, time use strategy, and time management preference [45]. Individuals having polychronic TMO prefer to perform multitasking simultaneously [82].…”

Gender Differences in Polychronicity

“…Due to this relevance of polychronicity, a proper understanding of its determinants is beneficial. A number of studies aimed at identifying variables which may affect polychronicity, such as culture ( Adams and van Eerde, 2010 ; König and Waller, 2010 ), personality traits ( Bhattacharyya et al, 2015 ), or work-family interface ( Korabik et al, 2016 ). However, we are not aware of any study which has focussed on testing for gender as a factor, i.e., the question whether men and women differ in polychronicity.…”