The fear of missing out at work: Examining costs and benefits to employee health and motivation

Author ORCID Identifier

Arielle Rogers:https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2801-145X

Publication Title

Computers in Human Behavior

ISSN

07475632

E-ISSN

43891

Document Type

Article

Abstract

The popular business media argues that the “fear of missing out” (FoMO) on work-related opportunities harms employees’ health and performance. Yet, these claims rely on the study of FoMO in college students in non-work contexts. Therefore, we explored workplace FoMO among employees across three studies. We first developed a measure and provided validation evidence for workplace FoMO among diverse employees (N = 324; Study 1) and MBA students (N = 223; Study 2). Using a third large employee sample (N = 300; Study 3), we tested whether workplace FoMO predicted health (i.e., work burnout and work well-being) and motivational outcomes (i.e., message-checking behaviors and work engagement). We also examined whether family-supportive organizational perceptions (FSOP) moderated these relationships. Results indicated that workplace FoMO is a distinct construct from other measures, including general FoMO. Workplace FoMO also predicted work burnout and message checking behavior, but not work well-being. Lower levels of FSOP strengthened the positive relationship between workplace FoMO and message checking behavior, but also produced a positive relationship between workplace FoMO and work well-being. Overall, FoMO appears to be relevant to the work context and predicts both employee well-being and behavior outcomes.

Publication Date

3-1-2020

DOI

10.1016/j.chb.2019.106161

Keywords

Fear of missing out, Health, Motivation, Technology use at work

Department

Department of Psychology

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