The Effect of Frequency of Interpersonal Interaction on Job

Performance and Satisfaction in Businesses

Yitong Wu

College of Arts and Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai, China

Keywords: Interpersonal Interaction, Job Performance, Emotional Exhaustion.

Abstract: This paper explores the relationship between the frequency of interpersonal interactions and the sense of job

efficacy in the workplace and proposes various strategies to improve organizational effectiveness. First,

information overload is one of the main challenges posed by frequent interpersonal interactions, information

distracts employees' cognitive resources and reduces the quality of decision making and sense of job efficacy.

Second, frequent interactions create time management problems, and employees need to establish good time

management behaviors. In addition, social fatigue and emotional exhaustion are also negative impacts of

frequent interactions, especially in jobs with high emotional involvement, where employees are prone to feel

physically and mentally exhausted, which in turn affects their job performance. This paper suggests

optimizing time management practices and providing positive emotional management strategies. Through

these approaches, organizations can reduce information overload, improve time utilization efficiency, and

enhance employees' emotional well-being, thereby improving overall work effectiveness.

1 INTRODUCTION

In the modern world, individuals cannot avoid

interacting with other members of the workforce,

coworkers or leaders in the work environment.

Seeking advice from coworkers, collaborating on

tasks, and engaging with leaders are common

occurrences. Since interpersonal interactions can

have a significant impact on workplace dynamics,

good interpersonal interactions not only promote

information sharing and resource integration, but also

enhance team cohesion and reduce work friction, thus

creating a more productive and harmonious work

atmosphere. Through positive interactions,

individuals can learn from the experiences and skills

of others and expand their career horizons, while

gaining emotional support, relieving work stress, and

further enhancing personal resilience and creativity.

Therefore, it becomes crucial to study the relationship

between the frequency of interpersonal interactions

and the perceived efficiency and work achievement.

In this paper, we will focus on the impact of

interpersonal interactions on employee performance

in organizations, analyzing and exploring solutions

for three major reasons. This research can help to

develop plans and measures for organizations and

employees to achieve greater career success by

optimizing communication mechanisms, establishing

good time management programs, and providing

emotional management assistance to help employees

achieve mutual personal and team growth ultimately

improving work efficiency and performance.

2 ANALYSIS

In the modern workplace, high-frequency

interpersonal interactions have become the norm of

task operation in enterprises, however, the impact of

this interaction pattern on employee work

effectiveness presents a complex multidimensional

character. Specifically, this effect can be generated

through the following three mechanisms: intensive

interpersonal interactions lead to information

overload, which causes cognitive resources to be

dispersed, decision-making quality decline, and

persistent stress accumulation when the amount of

information received by an employee in a work task

exceeds the employee's processing capacity. Second,

frequent interpersonal interactions can significantly

interfere with work time management by interrupting

and prioritizing tasks, thus reducing employees' time

Wu, Y.

The Effect of Frequency of Inter personal Interaction on Job Performance and Satisfaction in Businesses.

DOI: 10.5220/0013995400004916

Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Public Relations and Media Communication (PRMC 2025), pages 517-522

ISBN: 978-989-758-778-8

517

control, although scientific time management

strategies can mitigate this negative effect to some

extent. Third, sustained high-intensity interactions

are more likely to induce social fatigue and emotional

exhaustion, a phenomenon that is particularly

prominent in occupations that require a high degree

of emotional commitment, and long-term emotional

resource overdraft not only impairs employees'

empathy, but also leads to a continuous deterioration

of work performance.

2.1 Information Overload

Frequent interpersonal interactions lead to more

information exchange, especially in teamwork or

cross-departmental communication scenarios, where

the amount of information tends to show an

increasing trend. Research on information overload is

summarized in the literature review by Edmunds and

Morri (Edmunds and Morris, 2000). They say that

people who receive an amount of information that

exceeds an individual's processing capacity feel a

great deal of stress, which in turn causes their

cognitive resources to be dispersed, and consequently,

their sense of work efficacy suffers. Information

overload means that decision makers are confronted

with more information than they can effectively

process, resulting in a decline in decision quality.

Information overload not only stresses decision

makers but also weakens their judgment and decision-

making ability. According to Phillips-Wren and Adya,

information overload makes it difficult for decision

makers to process information efficiently, resulting in

wrong decisions or suboptimal choices. It also

distracts cognitive resources and prevents decision

makers from focusing on core tasks, thus reducing

productivity and effectiveness (Phillips and Adya,

2020). Ultimately, information overload increases the

psychological pressure on the individuals, and this

pressure is further exacerbated, leading to a

significant decrease in the sense of work effectiveness.

This information overload exists in the work

environment of interpersonal communication,

overload pressure in the enterprise's tasks will make

the employee's pressure increase, dispersed cognitive

resources, and finally the formation of a vicious circle

cannot completely deal with the work task, dragging

down the overall task work progress. In the

effectiveness of information utilization.

2.2 Working Time Management

A review of the literature in this area indicates that in

the workplace environment, employees' frequent

interpersonal interactions can interrupt their personal

work schedules, cause task interruptions, and thus

reduce the effectiveness of their time management.

The literature also suggests that for employees, work

interruptions such as phone calls and e-mails can

reduce their time management effectiveness, increase

work stress, and negatively impact productivity

(Claessens et al., 2024). In addition, for employees

who need to plan their tasks autonomously, frequent

interpersonal interactions may interfere with their

time management behaviors by causing them to have

conflicting priorities in dealing with their work tasks.

However, research on employees' time management

behaviors has found that good time management

behaviors, such as setting clear goals, prioritizing

tasks, and making detailed plans, can help employees

gain better control of their time, reduce stress, and

increase job satisfaction, which in turn improves job

effectiveness(Claessens et al., 2024). In addition,

from the perspective of organizational interventions,

time management training can improve employees'

time management skills, improve their sense of

control over time, reduce tension and stress at work,

and thus significantly enhance their sense of job

effectiveness (Eerde, W, 2003; Green and Skinner,

2005). Focusing on a group of workplace employees,

the aim is to reveal how the frequency of

interpersonal interactions affects employees' work

efficacy through time management behaviors.

2.3 Social Fatigue and Emotional

Exhaustion

Social fatigue is a phenomenon in which individuals

feel physically and emotionally exhausted due to

excessive emotional involvement and stress

accumulation during frequent and intensive

interpersonal interactions. Chaves-Montero et al.’s

literature points out that social workers, due to the

nature of their work, often need to cope with and deal

with complex emotional entanglements, which puts

them at high risk of emotional exhaustion (Chaves-

Montero et al., 2025). Emotional exhaustion, as a core

element of burnout, manifests itself as a severe

depletion of emotional resources as well as extreme

physical and mental exhaustion. In frequent

interpersonal interactions, individuals are forced to

invest a great deal of emotion, especially when faced

with conflict-ridden, stressful, or emotionally

demanding situations. The literature further

elaborates that social workers are at a significantly

higher risk of emotional exhaustion when dealing

with client conflict, under work stress, and lacking

adequate social support. Thus, high-frequency

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interpersonal interactions often serve as a trigger for

social fatigue, which in turn negatively affects an

individual's sense of work efficacy. Social fatigue can

deplete an individual's emotional resources, making

them feel exhausted and overwhelmed at work, thus

weakening their performance and reducing their

sense of work efficacy. From the perspective of

emotional resources, social fatigue will continue to

deplete individuals' psychological energy reserves,

leading to a decline in their emotional regulation

ability, weakened empathic response, and even

negative psychological states such as professional

indifference. Second, at the level of cognitive

function, individuals in a state of long-term social

fatigue tend to show problems such as distraction,

reduced judgment and decision-making efficiency,

which directly affects their work quality and output

efficiency. This state also triggers a series of

behavioral consequences, including procrastination,

avoidance of social interactions, and decreased

creativity. This not only affects their current work

performance but may also have a lasting negative

impact on their long-term career development.

Therefore, understanding and effectively managing

social fatigue is of great significance to improving

employees' work performance.

3 DISCUSSIONS

In the modern workplace environment, information

overload, time management imbalance and emotional

exhaustion have become the three core challenges

affecting organizational effectiveness. In order to deal

with these problems systematically, it is necessary to

establish a three-dimensional solution system of

communication mechanism optimization, time

management improvement and emotion management

enhancement. These solutions are both independent

and supportive of each other, and together they build

a complete framework for improving employee

effectiveness and organizational productivity.

3.1 Establishing Good Communication

Mechanisms

In the information-exploding workplace environment,

effective management of information overload

requires a systematic response strategy. The negative

impact of information overload can be significantly

reduced by establishing a scientific organizational

communication mechanism, improving individual

information processing capabilities, and

supplementing it with dynamic optimization

measures. Specifically, multi-level solutions can be

constructed from the following dimensions:

According to Patoko and Yazdanifard 's

discussion of literature on organizational

communication, the establishment of strong

communication mechanisms is essential for

organizational effectiveness (Patoko and Yazdanifard,

2014). A good communication mechanism is

important because it significantly improves the

efficiency and accuracy of information transfer and

reduces misunderstanding and information lag. A

clear communication mechanism can help

organizational members better understand tasks and

goals, thereby reducing cognitive load and the stress

associated with information overload. Specifically, a

good communication mechanism should be multi-

layered, covering a wide range of aspects such as

language, tools, skills and culture. Such a mechanism

includes the use of clear and concise language,

avoiding the misuse of jargon, and ensuring that

information can be easily understood by all

employees. In addition, the introduction of

information filtering tools and collaboration tools,

which help employees prioritize important

information and reduce unnecessary information

distractions, are also an important part of this

mechanism.

Secondly, improving individual communication

skills is also a key part of this mechanism. Considering

that there are differences in the way different

employees receive information and their ability to

process it. Therefore, the communication mechanism

should have a certain degree of flexibility and be able

to adjust to the needs of different employees. For

example, some employees may prefer face-to-face

communication, while others prefer to receive

information via e-mail or instant messaging tools. By

providing different communication paths for different

employees, and by training and practicing them,

employees can process information more effectively

and reduce the stress caused by information overload.

At the same time, organizational information and

communication technology plays an important role in

this process. By introducing automated tools,

organizations can manage information

communication and task allocation more efficiently

and reduce the time spent by employees on daily

information processing, thus further reducing the

stress of information overload.

In an organization, the communication mechanism

is not static, it should be dynamically adjusted with the

development of the organization and changes in the

external environment. Management should regularly

evaluate the effectiveness of communication

mechanisms and optimize them according to the

actual situation. Or analyze data to better understand

communication bottlenecks and problems. For

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519

example, by analyzing data such as email response

time and meeting efficiency, inefficiencies in

communication can be identified and appropriate

improvement measures can be taken.

Through this multifaceted strategy to optimize the

communication mechanism and the continuous

improvement of the mechanism optimization, the

organization can not only improve the efficiency of

information processing and reduce psychological

stress but also enhance the efficiency and sense of

achievement of employees. Effective communication

mechanisms can also promote efficient teamwork by

reducing misunderstandings and information lags,

thus enhancing overall work efficiency and helping

organizations achieve their goals more effectively.

3.2 Helping to Improve Time

Utilization

Inadequate work time management is rooted in the

interplay between the double-edged effect of

technological tools and the imbalance of

organizational mechanisms. In addition to

establishing effective communication mechanisms,

improving time management practices is critical to

organizational success. A meta-analysis by Aeon et

al. found that time management enhances employee

performance (Aeon. B, 2021). However, Ter Hoeven

et al. found through an online survey that the use of

technology in work scenarios, while increasing speed

and efficiency, also increases the number of

interruptions, unpredictable workloads, and

unexpected tasks on the job, leading to scheduling

imbalances (Ter Hoeven et al., 2014). Ultimately,

these increased work characteristics exacerbated

burnout and decreased work engagement. The

effectiveness of time management practices depends

not only on the use of tools and technology, but also

on how to balance the efficiency gains and potential

disruptions that technology brings. While

technological tools can help employees better plan

and manage their time, over-reliance on technology

or improper use may lead to blurring of work-life

boundaries and increased work stress. Therefore,

when introducing time management tools,

organizations should focus on developing employees'

time management skills and help them allocate work-

life time reasonably to avoid burnout. At the same

time, management should pay attention to the

reasonableness of task allocation to avoid time

management failure due to task overload or priority

conflict.

Optimization of task allocation and priority

management can be considered. Appropriate

introduction of time management technology tools

(e.g., project management software, task

management applications, etc.) within a reasonable

range can help employees set goals, assign priorities

and make detailed work plans more clearly, thus

improving the efficiency of time use. These tools can

help individuals manage their time more efficiently,

better control the pace of their work, reduce

distractions and priority conflicts at work, and thus

improve work efficiency. Efficient time management

not only helps employees’ complete tasks more

effectively, but it also enhances their sense of control

and accomplishment. By creating a balanced work

environment and reducing the negative impact of

unpredictable workloads, organizations can increase

employee engagement and effectiveness. In addition,

organizations can help employees continuously

optimize their time management strategies and adapt

to dynamically changing work demands through

regular time management training and feedback

mechanisms. For example, through training that

simulates actual work scenarios, employees can better

grasp how to reasonably allocate time in a multi-

tasking environment and avoid the anxiety that arises

from piling up tasks. At the same time, management

can make timely adjustments to task allocation and

workflow through regular performance evaluations

and employee feedback to ensure that time

management tools and strategies can truly serve the

actual needs of employees, rather than becoming an

additional burden.

Further, organizations can also enhance the

effectiveness of time management by introducing

flexible working arrangements, such as flextime or

telecommuting, to help employees achieve a better

work-life balance. This flexibility not only reduces

commuting time but also allows employees to

schedule their work tasks according to their own

productive time slots, maximizing the efficiency of

time use. In addition, the organization should

encourage employees to take adequate rest and

relaxation after work to avoid time management

failure and psychological fatigue caused by

overwork. Through this all-round support, the

organization can not only enhance the time

management ability of employees, but also create a

healthy and efficient working atmosphere, which will

ultimately promote the overall success of the

organization.

3.3 Providing Positive Emotion

Management

Diener et al. stated that positive emotion management

can effectively enhance employees' well-being and

productivity (Diener et al., 2024). Dimotakis et al.

further demonstrated through empirical research that

high levels of positive emotions can alleviate the

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negative relationship between negative emotions and

job satisfaction at the individual level (Dimotakis et

al., 2015). In addition, emotional expression plays a

key role in the workplace as an important channel for

conveying social messages (Van Kleef, 2009). For

example, sincere smiles have been shown to enhance

others' perceptions of friendliness and increase

customer satisfaction [8]. Overall, positive emotional

expression is often associated with more positive

social outcomes, such as stronger business

relationships (Grandey et al., 2005; Van Doorn et al.,

2014).

Based on these studies, organizations should

emphasize and actively promote positive emotion

management approaches to alleviate employees'

negative emotions and emotional exhaustion. First,

through personalized emotion management

strategies, employees can better manage their

emotional resources and reduce emotional depletion

caused by frequent interpersonal interactions. For

example, organizations can provide emotion

management training to help employees identify and

regulate their emotions or provide emotional support

to employees through psychological counseling

services. Second, enhancing emotional support and

effectively managing emotional resources can help

employees maintain a positive work state, thereby

enhancing work efficiency and sense of

accomplishment. For example, managers can

understand employees' emotional states and provide

support through regular team-building activities or

one-on-one communication. Finally, personalized

emotion management strategies can not only meet

employees' individual needs but also enhance their

sense of belonging and satisfaction with the

organization. For example, organizations can help

employees achieve a better work-life balance through

flexible work arrangements or mental health benefits.

By integrating these approaches, organizations

can create a supportive work environment that

promotes employees' emotional well-being and

enhances overall organizational performance. My

point is that positive emotion management is more

than just a tool to enhance employee well-being; it is

a key factor in an organization's ability to achieve

efficient operations and long-term success. By

focusing on the emotional needs of employees and

providing support accordingly, organizations can not

only reduce emotional depletion but also enhance

employees' sense of belonging and work engagement,

thus laying a solid foundation for sustainable

organizational growth.

The communication mechanism, time

management optimization and positive emotion

management approaches coordinate with each other

to build a systematic framework for addressing the

challenges of interpersonal interactions in the

workplace. The communication mechanism lays the

foundation for efficient collaboration by

standardizing the information transfer process; the

time management strategy helps employees plan their

tasks rationally and enhance their work efficiency;

and the positive emotion management focuses on

cultivating the ability to regulate emotions and

maintain mental health. The three form a complete

closed loop from information processing to task

execution to psychological adjustment, which not

only solves superficial efficiency problems, but also

targets the deep-seated psychological depletion,

creating a healthy and sustainable working

environment for the organization, and ultimately

realizing the dual enhancement of employee

effectiveness and organizational development.

4 CONCLUSION

This paper explores the impact of high-frequency

interpersonal interactions in the workplace on

employees' work performance, and points out that

information overload, time management imbalance,

and emotional exhaustion are the three major

influencing factors. Information overload distracts

cognitive resources and reduces the quality of

decision-making; frequent interactions interfere with

task prioritization and weaken the effectiveness of

time management; and high-intensity socialization is

prone to emotional exhaustion and impairs work

performance. To address these issues, the study

proposes systematic solutions: optimizing

organizational communication mechanisms,

improving time management strategies, and

implementing positive emotion management. These

solutions can improve information processing

efficiency and time control, as well as alleviate

psychological stress, thus building a healthy and

sustainable work environment. Ultimately, this will

help to achieve improved employee effectiveness and

sustainable corporate development.

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