Delving into Workplace Interruption: Analyzing the Impact of Phone Calls and Coworker Conversations on Procrastination at Work

Abstract

Workplace interruptions are becoming a more common serious issue in every work environment. Workplace interruptions can disrupt the attainment of goals and generate costly errors. Nevertheless, more research needs to focus on sources of workplace interruptions and their consequences. Drawing on action regulation theory, this study's main objective is to identify the sources of workplace interruptions, such as receiving calls and coworker conversations, and how these sources of workplace interruptions may cause procrastination at work by examining the mediating role of time pressure. Data were collected from the banking sector of Multan, Pakistan. After data consolidation, the final sample was 256. The findings of this study revealed that receiving calls and coworker conversations is positively related to procrastination at work, and time pressure mediates this relationship. This study addresses the gap in inquiring about innovative aspects of workplace interruption sources that interfere with workers' everyday working lives. The main strength and novelty of the current study is that it expanded the understanding and application of workplace sources of interruption while also expanding the idea of action regulation by emphasizing its interaction with time pressure as a mediator. The findings of this study are significant for legislators and management professionals, particularly those who deal with workplace interruptions.