Lunch Break Autonomy Benefits Employee Creativity: The Mediating Role of Positive Affect

Abstract

Experiencing control over lunch breaks has been found to reduce fatigue and promote the well-being of employees. However, the relationship between lunch break autonomy (LBA) and creativity and the underlying mechanism remains to be discovered. Based on the self-determination theory and broaden-and-build theory, we hypothesized that LBA is positively related to employees’ creativity, and the relationship is mediated by positive affect. The present study investigated the hypothetical mediation model among working adults in Malaysia utilizing a cross-sectional design. Regression-based mediation analysis of the 191 responses to the Autonomy and Psychological Detachment subscales of the Recovery Experience Questionnaire, Positive Affect subscale of the short-form Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, and Self-Rated Creativity Scale support that LBA was indirectly associated with creativity through positive affect. These findings offer insights into the importance of effective lunch break policies that encourage autonomy and a potential way to cultivate employees’ creativity for organizations to consider.