Implementing a job change: the impact of employee focus of attention

Abstract

Examines the relationship between focus of attention ‐ how much a person thinks about job and off‐job factors during work ‐ and people’s reactions to change. Survey respondents were 205 telecommunications repair technicians who were being trained to use a new computerized job assignment system. Results indicate that technicians with high job focus reacted more strongly to a job change over time, being less absent and more job involved, compared with low job focus technicians. High levels of off‐job focus were associated with increasing levels of withdrawal. Discusses focus of attention’s role in the facilitation of organizational changes.