Rumination for innovation? Analysing the longitudinal effects of work-related rumination on creativity at work and off-job recovery |
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| Authors: | Tim Vahle-Hinz Saija Mauno Jessica de Bloom Ulla Kinnunen |
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| Institution: | 1. Occupational Health Psychology, Humboldt University Berlin, Berlin, Germanytim.vahle-hinz@hu-berlin.de;3. Department of Psychology, University of Jyv?skyl?, Jyv?skyl?, Finland;4. Institute for Advanced Social Research, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland;5. School of Social Sciences and Humanities (Psychology), University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland |
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| Abstract: | Work-related rumination is not a single construct, but consists of a dimension associated with negative emotions or affect (affective rumination), and a dimension associated with reflective thinking and applying strategies to solve problems (problem-solving pondering). In this three-wave longitudinal study across two years (N?=?630) we investigated whether the relationships between work-related rumination, off-job recovery, and creativity at work varied along the two dimensions of work-related rumination. In addition, we tested whether the relationships followed normal, reversed, or reciprocal causation. The results showed, first, that in a one-year perspective affective rumination, but not problem-solving pondering, was negatively related to off-job recovery and that problem-solving pondering, but not affective rumination, was positively related to creativity at work. Second, in a two-year perspective, reversed effects were detected as creativity at work was negatively related to affective rumination and positively to off-job recovery. Our results suggest that the quality of work-related thoughts determines whether the outcome is beneficial or detrimental. Occupational health interventions that only advise employees to stop thinking about work during off-job time, may therefore be too simplistic. |
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| Keywords: | Pondering rumination recovery innovation stress |
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