Duration, frequency, activities (e.g., social media, socializing), and experience (e.g., relaxation, expanding knowledge, feeling connected to others) can influence just how effective work breaks can be.
There is a consensus that breaks during working hours can help employees recover from the stress and fatigue of work and thus improve their well-being and performance. A team of Canada-based scholars empirically tested this assumption by reviewing the full range of research in this area, pulling from multiple disciplines. The scope of their review was framed by the concept of resource depletion and recovery that is, work depletes their psychological and physical resources, and they need work breaks to replenish those resources. Work breaks lead to two types of outcomes:
Well-being. Well-being includes: physical well-being such as back pain and other musculoskeletal disorders; psychological well-being related to stress and exhaustion; job well-being was reflected in positive attitudes such as engagement.
Performance. Performance includes: task performance, related to the requirements of the job description; contextual performance, such as helping colleagues; and outcomes of performance, such as results of the work.
Analyzing a total of 83 academic papers covering 87 empirical studies, the research team identified five features of work breaks that influenced, positively or negatively, their effectiveness: initiator, duration, frequency, activities, and experiences. The researchers found that these five features impacted the effectiveness of work breaks as follows:
Initiator. Attitudes toward work breaks and the ability to take them influence whether work breaks occur and what they might look like. Attitudes vary. While knowledge workers believe work breaks are effective, only half of managers share their views. In some regions, work breaks are seen as effective if workers can leave the workplace. The ability to take breaks also varies many knowledge workers do not have regular work breaks or feel their breaks are insufficient. Many also do not take their scheduled work breaks. Whatever the reason, those unable to take breaks are more likely to suffer from burnout and emotional exhaustion.
Duration. The research shows little direct correlation between duration and well-being or performance. However, the impact of duration may depend on other factors, such as timing and enjoyment. For example, shorter breaks have a more positive impact on psychological well-being in the early afternoon, while longer breaks are more effective in the late afternoon. Longer breaks can be more effective if the worker on break is engaged in something they enjoy.
Frequency. More frequent breaks improve the psychological and physical well-being of knowledge workers. There IS little evidence of a direct link between frequency and work performance, although additional factors can sometimes play a role. For example, frequent shorter work breaks initiated by the worker can improve performance.
Activities. The choice of activities during breaks can influence the breaks’ effectiveness. Engaging with social media, the most common break activity, can boost or hinder well-being and performance, enhancing work-life balance on the one hand but also increasing disengagement from work and even emotional exhaustion. Exercise breaks improve both physical and psychological well-being; at the same time, physical exercise does not hurt but doesn’t always improve performance. Socializing with colleagues (as compared to supervisors) improves well-being and performance, especially if shop talk is avoided (see “Experiences”). Both naps and respite activities low-effort, enjoyable, non-work activities can generally improve both well-being and performance.
Experiences. Workers can experience breaks in six different ways: detachment (not thinking about work); relaxation (low activity or effort); mastery (learning something new); control (autonomy); meaning (experiencing something valuable); and affiliation (feeling connected to others). All of these experiences generally improve well-being and performance, although detachment and relaxation are the most potent. Unfortunately, detachment is one of the rarest experiences during work breaks for knowledge workers. Other factors, such as location and timing, can sometimes play a role. Relaxing outdoors can be more effective than relaxing indoors, for example. Breaks with meaning are more effective in the afternoon.
This study can help leaders and organizations review and adjust their work break policies for knowledge workers. In general, work breaks benefit employees’ physical and psychological well-being as well as their work performance. However, duration and frequency are not as potent in increasing the beneficial effects of breaks as the activities chosen by employees during the breaks, and how they are experiencing the breaks.
One recurring and important factor that improves the effectiveness of breaks is autonomy. The research shows that letting knowledge workers choose when to take a break, the duration of the break, their activities during the break, and even with whom they can take the break (e.g., forced social breaks are counter-productive as they increase fatigue) goes a long way in making work breaks effective recovery periods leading to the desired well-being and performance outcomes.
Zhanna Lyubykh’s LinkedIn page
https://www.linkedin.com/in/zhanna-lyubykh-563a525b/?originalSubdomain=ca
Duygu Gulseren’ profile at York University
https://profiles.laps.yorku.ca/profiles/gulseren/
Zahra Premji’s profile at the University of Victoria Libraries
https://www.uvic.ca/library/help/librarians/zpremji/index.php
Timothy G. Wingate’s profile at Wilfrid Laurier University
Connie Deng’s profile at the University of Calgary
https://profiles.ucalgary.ca/connie-deng
Lisa J. Bélanger’s profile at the University of Calgary
Nick Turner’s profile at the University of Calgary
https://profiles.ucalgary.ca/nick-turner
Role of Work Breaks in Well-Being and Performance: A Systematic Review and Future Research Agenda. Zhanna Lyubykh, Duygu Gulseren, Zahra Premji, Timothy G. Wingate, Connie Deng, Lisa J. Bélanger, and Nick Turner. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology (August 2022).
https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Focp0000337
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