Objective: Psychological detachment facilitates recovery from work, but detachment is sometimes difficult in flexible work arrangements (FWAs). This study examined the effects of a co-created two-step workplace intervention that introduced new work strategies to facilitate psychological detachment and promote recovery in office workers with FWAs. The intervention comprised an individual-level course on digital tools and work strategies, followed by a workgroup-level workshop to develop common rules and routines in FWAs.

Methods: Office workers with FWAs in a Swedish governmental agency (intervention group, n = 97; control group, n = 70) completed a web-based questionnaire on three occasions between 2018 and 2020: at baseline 3 months before the intervention; after the individual-level course 6 months after baseline, and after the workgroup-level workshop 12 months after baseline. Effects of the intervention on need for recovery (NFR) as mediated by psychological detachment, and moderation of these effects by baseline NFR, were estimated with adjustment for covariates.

Results: At the 6- and 12-month follow-ups, we found no unmoderated statistically significant changes in NFR mediated by psychological detachment. However, the intervention appeared more beneficial for employees with high baseline NFR compared to those with low NFR, with moderated mediation by detachment at the 12-month follow-up.

Conclusions: Introducing new work strategies and common rules and routines for flexible work may be an effective intervention to facilitate detachment and reduce the need for recovery among office workers with particularly high needs.