Authors:

• Kaja Zajc, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Pharmacy
• Jure Andolšek, University of Ljubljana, School of Economics and Business
• Matej Černe, University of Ljubljana, School of Economics and Business
• Miha Škerlavaj, University of Ljubljana, School of Economics and Business

Keywords:

Work intensity | Change readiness | Well-being | Sleep quality | Job demands-resources theory

Abstract

Purpose

As work intensity rises and change becomes the norm, employees are pushed to their limits, challenging resilience and well-being. Despite wide use of the job-demands-resources (JD-R) theory, little is known about how and when demands like work intensity undermine well-being through psychological and recovery-based mechanisms. This study advances the model by positioning change readiness as a dynamic mediator and sleep quality as a moderating recovery resource, showing how these factors interact with daily work intensity to shape well-being.

Design/methodology/approach

Conducted in Slovenian and Croatian branches of a multinational pharmaceutical company, 32 professionals participated in a multi-level longitudinal study over 30 days, providing daily self-reports via digital diaries and objective sleep data from Oura ring trackers.

Findings

Daily work intensity consistently undermined well-being, while change readiness did not mediate this effect and sleep quality offered limited and inconsistent buffering. Cumulative sleep patterns showed minimal protective influence, suggesting short-term recovery may be insufficient to offset high work intensity. Direct effects of sleep quality on well-being remain robust and important for research and practice.

Research limitations/implications

The data were collected within a single organizational context with highest relevance for knowledge workers. The generalizability of the findings to other industries, organizational cultures or countries may be limited. Future research should examine whether the observed relationships hold across different sectors, particularly those with varying degrees of work intensity and change frequency, such as public administration, education or creative industries, but also different job designs such as shift workers. Future studies could include data from other sectors, job designs, but also longer time series to capture long-term patterns or more complex lagged effects. Future research could investigate how multilevel, systems-level organizational factors interact with individual readiness and recovery resources to influence well-being under high work intensity.

Practical implications

From the perspective of organizational change management, our results underscore the need for employers to actively monitor and manage work intensity, not only from a productivity perspective but also in terms of its psychological impact. Sleep quality emerged as a potential personal resource that can buffer the adverse effects of work intensity. This suggests a compelling case for employers to take a more proactive stance on sleep health as part of broader well-being initiatives, particularly during organizational transformations.

Originality/value

This study refines JD-R theorizing in high-intensity, change-intensive knowledge work by showing that change readiness operates as a bounded, context-sensitive resilience resource rather than a pathway through which demands translate into well-being and that sleep quality supports overall well-being but offers only limited buffering under sustained work intensity.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) addressed in the article are:

• SDG 3 – Good health and well-being
• SDG 8 – Decent Work and economic growth

The article is published in:
Journal of organizational change management (Emerald)

The content is freely accessible at:

Work intensity, change readiness and well-being: the moderating role of sleep quality