Abstract
Contemporary work environments are characterized by increasing job demands, extensive use of communication technologies, blurred boundaries between work and private lives, and growing uncertainty. Under these conditions, employee health and well-being are among the central topics studied by organizational researchers. Extant research has shown that psychological detachment from work is a key recovery experience that is essential for employees’ health, well-being, and work performance. This systematic qualitative review aims to advance our understanding of what facilitates or inhibits detachment. First, our paper evaluates the conceptualization of detachment and develops greater conceptual clarity on what detachment from work is (and is not). Next, we review 159 empirical studies and evaluate the accumulated knowledge on predictors of detachment. In addition, our review contributes to the ongoing debate about whether detachment and work-related thoughts are distinct constructs by reviewing studies on predictors of select work-related thoughts in a supplemental manner and comparing them with predictors of detachment. Our review offers valuable directions for future advancements of this line of research and provides recommendations to practitioners on how to facilitate this important recovery experience in their organizations.