Employee After-Hour Connectivity, Autonomy, and Exhaustion- Model Inventory

Abstract

The Employee After-Hour Connectivity, Autonomy, and Exhaustion Model, developed by van Zoonen, Treem, & Sivunen in 2023, is a comprehensive psychological instrument designed to longitudinally examine the complex relationships among employees’ connectivity outside of working hours, their perceived job autonomy, and resulting work exhaustion. The theoretical foundation of the model rests upon the principles of the Conservation of Resources Theory (COR; Hobfoll, 1989).

The measure was constructed by adapting items from established scales, including those developed by Büchler et al. (2020), Breaugh (1985), and Maslach & Jackson (1981). Its psychometric properties were rigorously evaluated through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). The initial validation study utilized a sample of employees from a major natural resources company located in Scandinavia, providing detailed findings regarding the measure’s factor structure, reliability, and validity across multiple time points.

Keywords

After-Hour Connectivity, Autonomy, Burnout, Conservation of Resources Theory, Work Exhaustion, Organizational Measures, Employee Well-Being.

Authors

Ward van Zoonen, Jeffrey W. Treem, Anu E. Sivunen.

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Purpose

The primary purpose of this measurement model is to systematically assess the dynamic and longitudinal relationship between workers’ propensity for after-hour connectivity, their level of perceived job autonomy, and the resulting psychological state of exhaustion.

The instrument aims to quantify how the ability to control non-work connectivity modifies the resource drain associated with being constantly available, thereby providing critical insights for organizational psychology and boundary management research.

Construct

The inventory is designed to measure three core, interrelated constructs: Organizational Connectivity, Organizational Autonomy, and Work Exhaustion. The measure includes a total of 18 items distributed across these constructs and their subscales:

• Connectivity: This scale assesses the degree to which employees remain accessible and monitor work communications (e.g., email, mobile devices) during non-work hours.

• Autonomy: Adapted from Breaugh (1985), this is a multi-faceted construct measuring perceived control over job execution, categorized into three subscales:

  • Work Method Autonomy: Control over the specific procedures and techniques used to complete job tasks.

  • Work Scheduling Autonomy: Control over the timing and sequencing of daily work activities.

  • Work Criteria Autonomy: Control over the standards used for performance evaluation and the modification of job objectives.

• Exhaustion: This component measures the core dimension of burnout, focusing on chronic fatigue and feelings of being emotionally depleted by work responsibilities.

Validity

The validity of the test was examined, focusing on convergent validity across the longitudinal measurement waves (T1, T2, and T3). Convergent validity was primarily assessed using the Average Variance Extracted (AVE).

The AVE values ranged significantly across constructs and time points. The lowest AVE reported was .49 for the autonomy construct at Time 2 (T2), while the highest AVE was .82 for the connectivity construct at both Time 1 (T1) and Time 3 (T3). These results generally support the convergent validity of the factors, though autonomy showed marginally weaker convergence at one time point compared to the high consistency observed in connectivity.

Reliability

The internal consistency and test reliability of the instrument were demonstrated using Omega reliability (Ω) coefficients and maximum reliability (H) estimates.

The Omega reliabilities (Ω) ranged from .74 to .95, indicating strong to excellent internal consistency across the various scales and measurement waves. Similarly, the maximum reliability (H) estimates spanned between .75 and .95. These psychometric indicators confirm that the Employee After-Hour Connectivity, Autonomy, and Exhaustion Model is a highly reliable instrument for measuring these key organizational constructs.

Factor Analysis

The hypothesized factor structure was tested using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). The CFA results indicated that the measurement model achieved an excellent fit to the empirical data, as demonstrated by the following indices: χ² (522) = 682.83; TLI = .97; CFI = .98; RMSEA = .040 (90% CI: .031, .048); and SRMR = .06.

For longitudinal analysis, measurement invariance was assessed. The results confirmed that both weak measurement invariance (Δχ² (24) = 30.78, p = .160) and strong measurement invariance (Δχ² (6) = 5.25, p = .513) could be assumed. While strict measurement invariance was not established (Δχ² (30) = 49.62, p = .014), the authors noted that this is a rare assumption to hold in practice and does not hinder the comparison of regression coefficients across the longitudinal waves.

Instrument

Test Type: Original version of the Inventory/Questionnaire

Format: The measure consists of 18 items. Responses are captured using 7-point Likert-type scales. The test is typically administered electronically.

Language Available: English

Population Group: Human; Male; Female

Age Group: No data is Available

Population Details: The instrument is intended for use with organizational employees across various industries.

Test Methodology: The development and validation of this instrument involved Test Validity, Test Reliability, Factor Analysis, Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Measurement Invariance, Measurement Model, and Structural Equation Modeling.

Keywords

After-Hour Connectivity, Work Autonomy, Burnout, Employee Attitudes, Organizational Psychology, Employee Well Being, Fatigue, Structural Equation Modeling.

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Authors

Ward van Zoonen

Author ORCID Identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8531-8784

Affiliation: Erasmus University Organizational Dynamics in the Digital Society

Affiliation Email addresses: [email protected]

Correspondence Address: Erasmus University, Organizational Dynamics in the Digital Society, Burgemeester Oudlaan 342T, Rotterdam, Netherlands, 3062PA, [email protected]

Jeffrey W. Treem

Author ORCID Identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3269-5559

Affiliation: University of Texas-Austin Moody College of Communication

Anu E. Sivunen

Author ORCID Identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7068-2260

Affiliation: University of Jyväskylä Department of Language and Communication Studies

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

• Permissions: May be used for Research/Teaching purposes.

• Commercial Use: No

• Fee: No

• Test Year: 2023

• Website (License): The measure is released under a Creative Commons license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Reference’s

van Zoonen, W., Treem, J. W., & Sivunen, A. E. (2023). Staying connected and feeling less exhausted: The autonomy benefits of after‐hour connectivity. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 96(2), 242–263. https://doi.org/10.1111/joop.12422

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Items of the Employee After-Hour Connectivity, Autonomy, and Exhaustion- Model Inventory

The measure includes 18 items in total. The complete test items are available in the Appendix of the source publication on page 263. Below are representative items from the primary constructs:

Connectivity Items (Adapted from Büchler et al., 2020)

• Through my (mobile) work devices, I am always available for my colleagues and/or clients, also during nonwork hours.

• During nonwork hours, I monitor my work through my (mobile) work devices (e.g., checking emails or similar work-related messages and enterprise social media).

• For me, it is common to check and answer emails or other work-related messages during nonwork hours.

• Through the use of my (mobile) work devices, I stay connected during nonwork hours.

Note. Items are rated using a scale ranging from 1 = strongly disagree and 7 = strongly agree.

Autonomy Items (Adapted from Breaugh, 1985)

Work Method Autonomy

• I am allowed to decide how I get my job done (the methods to use).

• I am able to choose the way to go about my job (the procedures to utilize).

• I am free to choose the method(s) to use in carrying out my work.

Work Scheduling Autonomy

• I have control over the scheduling of my work.

• I have some control over the sequencing of my work activities (when I do what).

• My job is such that I can decide when to do particular work activities.

Work Criteria Autonomy

• My job allows me to modify the normal way we are evaluated so that I can emphasize some aspects of my job and play down others.

• I am able to modify what my job objectives are (what I am supposed to accomplish).

• I have some control over what I am supposed to accomplish (what my supervisor sees as my job objectives).

Note. Items are rated using a scale ranging from (1) disagreement to 7 (agreement).

Exhaustion Items (Adapted from Maslach & Jackson, 1981)

• I feel emotionally drained from my work.

• I feel used up at the end of the workday.

• I feel tired when I get up in the morning and have to face another day on the job.

• Working all day is really a strain for me.

• I feel burned out from my work.

Note. Items are rated using a scale ranging from 0 (never) to 6 (always, every day).