OFF-TASK BEHAVIORS AND OUTCOMES - AN EXPLORATORY INVESTIGATION OF A NEGLECTED DOMAIN IN ORGANIZATIONAL-BEHAVIOR

Although people at work engage in a number of on-task and off-task beh aviours, the preponderance of behavioural research in organisations is directed towards on-task behaviours and the outcomes resulting from t hem. When attention is paid to off-task behaviours, it is usually dire cted at decreasing or eliminating such behaviours. The position taken here is that off-task behaviours must be understood even if our concer n is with task behaviour. Two studies, with samples of 137 and 133 per sons, identified a subset of off-task behaviours and explored the rela tionship of their reported occurrence to job satisfaction. Implication s of off-task behaviour at work are discussed with respect to the chan ging nature of work.