Unfinished work tasks and work-related thoughts during off-job time: meta-analysis of the Zeigarnik effect in a work-recovery context

Background: In work and organizational psychology, substantial empirical evidence shows that unfinished tasks act as job stressors, impairing workers' recovery. Building on (Zeigarnik, B. (1927). Das Behalten erledigter und unerledigter Handlungen [The memory of completed and uncompleted actions]. Psychologische Forschung, 9, 1-85. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02409755) findings on memory advantages for incomplete tasks, we aimed to synthesize the relationships between unfinished work tasks and work-related thoughts during off-job time.Method: We conducted a random-effects meta-analysis at the between-person level (k = 17, N = 2,473) and the within-person level (k = 14, N = 12,129). We meta-analytically tested potential study-related moderators (e.g., work-related thoughts assessment) and identified additional moderators through a qualitative review.Results: Unfinished work tasks were positively related to work-related thoughts during off-job time, with significantly stronger associations at the between-person (ρ_between = .382) than at the within-person level (ρ_within = .247). Associations were strongest for (affective) rumination as the outcome. Among the study characteristics, only the proportion of females emerged as a significant moderator. Additional moderators identified in the qualitative review included goal valence, action regulation and goal-related strategies, trait temporal focus, and supervisory performance expectations.Conclusion: Unfinished work tasks are associated with increased work-related thoughts during off-job time, potentially hindering recovery. A more comprehensive theoretical integration of moderating factors is needed to advance understanding and inform intervention efforts.