Description
The social pressure to appear busy (SPAB) is a new proposed construct defined as a social norm that workgroup members feel to appear constantly busy (to the point of exhaustion) at work. SPAB is about the pressure from coworkers and/or supervisors to appear constantly busy, rather than being actually busy. The purpose of the present study is to identify a) components of the nomological network and b) potential outcomes of the new proposed construct. A pilot sample was used to develop a 14-item measure of coworker pressure (5 items) and supervisor pressure to appear busy (7 items) and complaints about busyness (2 items). The present study aimed to validate this measure using survey responses from 281 full-time employees in 43 workgroups at a quick-service restaurant corporate headquarters. At the individual level, I conducted confirmatory factor analyses of the SPAB construct and found that the three-factor model identified in the pilot study is the best-fitting model, although the data do not fit this model particularly well. I also conducted χ 2-difference tests and determined SPAB was distinct from workaholism, impression management, and role overload, providing evidence of discriminant validity and supporting Hypotheses 1–3. At the workgroup level, I examined the aggregation statistics for SPAB (rwg(j), intra-class correlation coefficient, and group-level alpha). Finally, I demonstrated SPAB subscales had at least partial support for cross-level, direct effects on individual-level outcomes: role overload, job satisfaction, employee engagement, turnover intention, frantic busyness, and burnout, providing evidence of predictive validity through at least partial support for Hypotheses 4–9. All six outcome variables were predicted by at least one subscale, and, each subscale predicted at least three of the six outcomes, indicating that each subscale has unique importance for various employee outcomes. This construct is potentially an important predictor of stress and strain, and, further, it could provide a new avenue for organizations looking to combat employee burnout. This study represents a first step toward understanding how to define and measure the social pressure to appear busy, which may help organizations support a focus on strategic (not frantic) busyness, which may lead to improved productivity and well-being.
