The recovery paradox: Portraying the complex interplay between job stressors, lack of recovery, and poor well-being

2018/01/01 by Sabine Sonnentag
Business, Management and Accounting · Health Professions · Psychology · #Clinical psychology #Employment and Welfare Studies #Interpersonal communication #Job Satisfaction and Organizational Behavior #Job performance #Job satisfaction #Organizational behavior #Psychology #Social psychology #Stressor #Workplace Health and Well-being

paper · pdf · doi:10.1016/j.riob.2018.11.002

crossref issued 2018/01/01 · crossref published 2018/01/01 · crossref published-print 2018/01/01 · openalex publication_date 2018/01/01 · crossref created 2018/12/11 · crossref deposited 2025/10/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · crossref indexed 2026/08/05 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/06

Abstract

Job stressors such as time pressure, organizational constraints, and interpersonal conflicts matter for individual well-being within organizations, both at the day level and over longer periods of time. Recovery-enhancing processes such as psychological detachment from work during nonwork time, physical exercise, and sleep have the potential to protect well-being. Although the experience of job stressors calls for effective recovery processes, empirical research shows that recovery processes actually are impaired when job stressors are high (recovery paradox). This article presents explanations for the recovery paradox, discusses moderating factors, and suggests avenues for future research.

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