This article by Brian Holtz, Crystal Harold, Harshad Puranik (University of Illinois Chicago), and Kristian Gardner, published in the Journal of Management, develops and validates a five-item scale measuring employees’ perceptions that others waste their time at work, defined as consuming time without advancing valued goals. Grounded in subjective-time theory and frustration-aggression theory, the scale predicts negative emotions, counterproductive behaviors, and reduced job satisfaction beyond related constructs like interruptions and interpersonal justice. The measure is adaptable to different workplace entities (e.g., bosses, coworkers), revealing that employees direct their frustration and behaviors toward those perceived to waste their time. This work fills a gap in understanding the psychological impact of wasted time and offers tools and insights for future research and management practice.
Don’t Waste My Time! The Development and Validation of the Wasted Time Perceptions Scale
