The impact of workaholism on day-level workload and emotional exhaustion, and on longer-term job performance

Creativity and Emotional Exhaustion in Virtual Work Environments: The Ambiguous Role of Work Autonomy

The results regarding the relationship between creativity in virtual work environments and its influence on emotional exhaustion are inconclusive. Furthermore, autonomy, when it loses its original purpose of acting as a job resource, takes on an ambiguous role that needs further research.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the relationship between creativity and emotional exhaustion, along with the role assumed by work autonomy in this link, in an online work context.

METHODOLOGY

The sample was formed of 448 employees with university studies. The statistical analysis was conducted through a simple moderation process.

RESULTS

Creativity and work autonomy mitigate emotional exhaustion. In fact, work autonomy plays a moderating role regarding the relationship between creativity and emotional exhaustion. Control over work surely reduces the impact of work-related stressors, and this safety climate promotes adaptive and original responses that improve employees' emotional health. However, when creative demands coincide with an autonomy that extends working hours, instead of establishing limits, this supposed benefit becomes a demand that prevents employees from disconnecting, until emotionally exhausting them.

CONCLUSION

A virtual work environment is an ideal habitat for creativity and self-management to improve employees' emotional health, as long as work autonomy acts as a resource.

Work addiction risk, stress and well-being at work: testing the mediating role of sleep quality

Introduction

Attention to work addiction risk is growing; however, more studies are needed to explore the possible impact of work addiction risk on various aspects of employees' work and life domains. Although several studies have considered the antecedents or consequences of work addiction risk, this study particularly focuses on sleep quality as a potential explanatory underlying mechanism in the relation between work addition risk and three outcome variables including stress at home, stress at work and well-being.

Method

The data was collected using an online platform and participants consisted of 188 French employees who were selected using simple random sampling method. Participants responded to the survey including the Work Addiction Risk Test (WART), stress at work, well-being, and sleep quality. The data was analyzed using JASP and SPSS-26 programs.

Results

The results revealed that there are significant positive relationships between work addiction risk and both stress at home and at work and negative relationships between work addiction risk and both sleep quality and well-being. In addition, the analyses of the mediation paths suggest the significant mediation role of sleep quality for the link between work addition risk and stress at work as well as the link between work addiction risk and well-being.

Discussion

Given the verified mediating role of sleep quality in the relationship between work addiction, stress and wellbeing, it is recommended that organizations and companies pay particular attention to their employees' sleep quality.

A Further Examination of the Multidimensional Workaholism Scale (MWS) in Italy and U.S: Measurement Equivalence, Convergent, Discriminant, and Predictive Validity

In the current study we replicated and extended the validation of the Multidimensional Workaholism Scale through: 1) the examination of the relationship between the MWS and the Bergen Work Addiction Scale; 2) the test of measurement invariance of the U.S. and the Italian versions; and 3) the analysis of predictive validity of the MWS through a series of cross-lagged panel models on a two-wave Italian sample (N = 304), including work-family conflict and emotional exhaustion. Configural, metric and partial scalar invariance was achieved on a sample of 591 Italian and 313 U.S. workers. Results supported convergent, discriminant, and predictive validity of the Italian version. Evidence of the predictive role of workaholism was found in relation to work-family conflict and emotional exhaustion. Finally, the different dimensions demonstrated some incremental validity in the prediction of specific outcomes over and above other dimensions of the MWS. In sum, we provided additional evidence of the validity of the MWS, which represents a tool for researchers and practitioners, validating its use in Italy to better understand the workaholism phenomenon.

Helping others but Hurting Yourself? The underlying mechanism linking helping behavior to task performance

Helping behavior positively influences organizational effectiveness, which is why the importance of this behavior is highlighted in Chinese enterprises, and employees are encouraged to engage in it. However, from an actor-centric perspective, helping behavior is not always beneficial. In this paper, cognitive-affective personality system theory is applied to link helping behavior to task performance, thus enhancing the understanding of the effects of helping behavior. By adopting a two-wave questionnaire survey, data from 202 leader-subordinate dyads were gathered. Then, the BruceR (V0.7.2) package of Rstudio (V4.1.1) was used to generate a multi-mediated moderation model and test the hypotheses. The following results were obtained: 1) Helping behavior was negatively associated with task performance. 2) Cognitive irritation and emotional exhaustion serially mediated the influences of helping behavior on task performance. 3) Team-level communal goal striving moderated the indirect influence of helping behavior on task performance; the indirect influence was only significant when the levels of team communal goal striving were low. From an actor-centric perspective, this paper presents evidence for the connection between helping behavior and task performance. Numerous implications for management approaches are presented to maximize the management of helping behavior.

Influencing mechanism of coal miners' safety compliance: A chain mediating model

The influence that job insecurity has on employees' safety psychology and behavior has been identified in many empirical studies, but few of these examine the influencing mechanism of job insecurity on coal miners' safety behaviors. In the de-overcapacity circumstances of coal production in China, using the strength model of self-control and conservation of resources theories, a chain mediating model was constructed to determine the relationships between job insecurity, emotional exhaustion, mind wandering, and safety compliance among coal miners. Data were collected from 447 coal miners working in three coal mines of Henan Pingdingshan Coal Industry Group. It was found that job insecurity negatively affected safety compliance, and emotional exhaustion and mind wandering played a chain mediating effect in the relationship between job insecurity and miners' safety compliance, along three specific paths. This study helps advance the understanding of the internal mechanisms of coal miners' job insecurity and how this affects individual safety performance. It also provides empirical evidence that managers can use effectively intervene in coal miners' safety performance.

Workplace Bullying and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptomology: The Influence of Role Conflict and the Moderating Effects of Neuroticism and Managerial Competencies

Research has explored numerous consequences of workplace bullying, including a recent link to the exhibition of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomology. Role conflict as a workplace stressor may contribute to instances of bullying from a passive perspective, which may lead to PTSD symptomology in victims. What remains less explored is if role conflict has a direct relationship to PTSD symptomology and how personality traits such as neuroticism and workplace factors such as managerial competencies may moderate the stress brought on by role conflict. Hence the present study seeks to examine this gap in the literature. This study utilizes a between-subjects, cross-sectional design with 159 participants, 39.6% male and 60.4% female. Most participants (60%) were Italian workers of a large social cooperative organization. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the measurement model was valid and had an adequate model fit. Results from two separate moderated mediation analyses found a positive, full mediation between the independent variable of role conflict, the mediator of exposure to bullying, and the dependent variable of PTSD symptomology. Furthermore, in this study, neuroticism strengthened the indirect effect while managerial competencies weakened it. The results highlight the importance of training competent managers and providing resources for more vulnerable employees to moderate employee work stress and its negative outcomes.

Moderating role of perceived work addiction of managers in the relationship between employees' perfectionism and work addiction: a trait activation theory perspective

Purpose

Earlier authors suggested that a combination of different factors leads to the development of work addiction, hereby indicating that no single perspective is enough to fully understand this phenomenon. Hence, the aim of this study was to examine the moderating role of perceived work addiction of managers in the relationship between employees' perfectionism and work addiction.

Design/methodology/approach

The present cross-sectional study was conducted on a convenience sample of 964 workers from different organizations in Lithuania. Data were collected by means of online self-administered questionnaires. To test the moderating effect, a covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) path analysis was performed.

Findings

At the level of bivariate correlations, both self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism showed positive links with employees' work addiction. However, in structural equation models only self-oriented perfectionism was related to higher levels of work addiction. Further, although the results of the study did not confirm the assumption about the moderating effect of perceived work addiction of managers on the relationship between employees' self-oriented perfectionism and work addiction, the results showed that a positive relationship between employees' socially prescribed perfectionism and work addiction was strongest when a manager was perceived to be highly addicted to work.

Originality/value

The study enriched understanding of the roots of work addiction by employing trait activation theory (Tett and Burnett, 2003) and explaining how both dispositional and contextual factors interacted in predicting this phenomenon.

Workaholism and the Enactment of Bullying Behavior at Work: A Prospective Analysis

Despite the fact that workaholism and workplace aggressive behavior share many correlates, such as neuroticism, hostility, and negative affectivity, little is known about their relationship, with most evidence on both phenomena coming from cross-sectional studies. In the present study, we contributed to a better understanding of the antecedents of enacted workplace bullying behavior (i.e., perpetration of bullying), and the potential interpersonal implications of workaholism, by investigating their cross-lagged relationship. Data from a two-wave one-year panel study conducted with 235 employees in a national healthcare service organization showed substantial cross-sectional and cross-lagged positive relationships between workaholism and enacted workplace bullying. Whereas Time 1 workaholism was a significant predictor of Time 2 enacted workplace bullying, reversed causation was not supported. To shed light on the role of a potential mechanism explaining the link between workaholism and enactment of bullying, we examined whether job-related negative affect (e.g., anger) mediated their longitudinal relationship. However, whereas increased negative affect from T1 to T2 was positively associated with T2 enacted workplace bullying, the relationship between T1 workaholism and increased job-related negative affect was not significant, contrary to the hypothesized mediation. Taken together, our findings suggest that workaholism may be an important antecedent of enacted workplace bullying. Study limitations and future perspectives are discussed.

When and Why Demands Reveal Their Challenging Potential during Change

This study contributes to a better understanding of the complexity of the demands that arise during organisational change. We investigated classic and change-specific demands in relation to emotional exhaustion and work engagement within the challenge-hindrance framework. We focused on workload and individual job impact and tested trust and autonomy as moderators. Data were collected via a cross-sectional online questionnaire. The convenience sample consisted of 388 employees experiencing organisational change at the time of responding. We conducted regression analyses to test for both direct and moderating effects. The results indicate that workload and individual job impact exhibit challenge and hindrance qualities. We also identified the significant moderating effects of trust and autonomy on individual job impact. This study integrates the challenge-hindrance framework into the job demands-resources model and offers a new perspective by applying this framework in the context of organisational change. We examined the specific roles of autonomy and trust regarding demands during change processes, and their potential in channelling challenging qualities is examined, offering new perspectives on the buffering of change demands.

Psychometric Properties of Heavy Work Investment Measures: A Systematic Review

In recent years, the study of heavy work investment (HWI) has been diversifying greatly in the various fields of application in the organizational field, for example, occupational health, human resources, quality at work among others. However, to date, no systematic review has been carried out to examine the methodological quality of the instruments designed to measure HWI. Therefore, the present systematic review examines the psychometric properties of three main measures of HWI: Workaholism Battery (WorkBAT), Work Addiction Risk Test (WART), and Dutch Work Addiction Scale (DUWAS). Five electronic databases were systematically searched, selecting psychometric articles. Of the 2621 articles identified, 35 articles met all inclusion criteria published between 1992 and 2019. The findings indicated that most of the articles were focused on reviewing psychometric properties, analyses were conducted from classical test theory, collected validity evidence based on internal structure and relationship with other variables, and reliability of scores was obtained through the internal consistency method. Of the instruments reviewed, the DUWAS is the one with the highest methodological quality. Recommendations are made for future research to address the psychometric study of these instruments based on recent advances in the field of organizational measurement.

The Workaholism Phenomenon in Portugal: Dimensions and Relations with Workplace Spirituality

Workaholism phenomenon affects a quarter of the employed world population. The concept has been used to describe hardworking employees, which is not resulting from external requirements. Considering that organizations with well-developed workplace spirituality have employees more committed to achieving self-development, but also to serve the company, the relationship between workaholism and workplace spirituality is not straightforward, remaining unclear. The principal aim of this research is to analyze the workaholism phenomenon, considering patterns of workaholic and non-workaholic workers and their relationships with dimensions of workplace spirituality. The sample is comprised of a heterogeneous group of 306 Portuguese employees, who were surveyed by the Workaholism Battery, five dimensions of Workplace Spirituality, and a socio-demographic questionnaire. Cluster analysis defined three workaholic profiles (24% of the sample), and five non-workaholic profiles. Workplace spirituality dimensions differed according to worker profile and associations with work involvement, work enjoyment, and compulsive work addiction. Enthusiastic addicts and work enthusiasts showed the highest workplace spirituality, contrasting mainly with Reluctant hard worker, Disenchanted workers, and Unengaged workers, but also with work addicts. Workaholism is a complex and multidimensional phenomenon, whose dimensions are distinctly related to workplace spirituality. Workplace spirituality development can promote a more balanced and healthy relationship with work.

The roles of latent perfectionism classes in academicians' tendencies toward workaholism, useless superiority effort and narcissism

Although previous research has identified that perfectionism is associated with both narcissism and workaholism, research into the specific roles of potential perfectionism classes in these personality dynamics is currently unavailable. Furthermore, no study has investigated if the "useless superiority effort" dimension of inferiority feelings, which indicates an increased need for superiority over others potentially to overcome self-perceived inferiorities, is related to other important personality dynamics. This study was therefore conducted to identify if potential perfectionism classes that exist among academicians (N = 317) can simultaneously explain significant differences in their tendencies toward workaholism, narcissism, and useless superiority effort, after controlling for potential social desirability effect. A latent class analysis of two dimensions of perfectionism (discrepancy and high standards) revealed four distinct classes of academicians; non-perfectionists (NONPs; 20%), maladaptive perfectionists (MPs; 17%), normal perfectionists (NPs; 44%) and adaptive perfectionists (APs; 19%). Further analysis (MANCOVA) showed that while MPs have the highest tendencies toward workaholism and useless superiority effort, NONPs have the lowest tendencies toward these. Moreover, APs reported significantly lower useless superiority than NPs, despite scoring similarly on both narcissism and workaholism. Additionally, based on workaholism being related to narcissism, high standards and discrepancy dimensions of perfectionism, as well as useless superiority effort, while weekly work hours are not, it can be suggested that workaholism is qualitatively different from working long hours.

Workaholism, presenteeism, work-family conflicts and personal and work outcomes: Testing a moderated mediation model

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

While research suggests that nurses who experience work-family conflicts (WFC) are less satisfied and perform less well, these negative outcomes may be more important for some nurses. This study proposes a mediated moderation model wherein the interaction between two individual characteristics, workaholism and presenteeism, relates to family life satisfaction and work performance with WFC mediating these relationships.

BACKGROUND

Because a limited number of nursing studies have examined the potential outcomes of workaholism and presenteeism, we extend past research to address the question of how workaholism and presenteeism affect nurses' functioning.

DESIGN

We used a cross-sectional questionnaire survey design to test our hypotheses. STROBE guidelines for cross-sectional research were followed in designing and reporting this study.

METHODS

A total of 419 nurses completed measures of workaholism, presenteeism, WFC, family life satisfaction and work performance.

RESULTS

Results revealed that the relationships between workaholism and outcomes (family life satisfaction and work performance) through WFC were stronger among nurses characterised by high levels of presenteeism.

CONCLUSIONS

These results revealed that high presenteeism may exacerbate the negative relationships of workaholism to family life satisfaction and work performance through WFC.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Healthcare organisations and managers should consider addressing work environment factors in their efforts to reduce the negative outcomes (e.g., low family satisfaction and work performance) of nurses' workaholism, presenteeism and WFC.

Advancing Workaholism Research

Research on workaholism (also called work addiction by some scholars, especially in the clinical psychology field) has increased substantially in the last few years [...].

Determinants of emotional exhaustion among nursing workforce in urban Ghana: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

The subject of emotional exhaustion organisations has become important because of the emerging trends in employment and its associated challenges. Unhealthy practice environment is a major threat in the incidence of emotional exhaustion among nurses; and any organisational culture that do not support its personnel has huge burnout costs. The study aimed at assessing rate of emotional exhaustion; determining factors that accounts for it and also ascertaining the coping strategies used by nurses to overcome it in the Ghanaian health care setting.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study with a proportionate stratified sampling was used to draw a sample from five health facilities. A standardized questionnaire of Professional Practice Environment Scale of Nursing Work Index, Maslach Burnout Inventory and Coping Scale were used to assess variables under study. The STROBE guidelines were followed in reporting this study.

RESULTS

Out of the 232 registered nurses studied, 91.1% of them reported experiencing moderate to high rate of emotional exhaustion. The practice environment of the nurses explained 39.6% of the variance in emotional exhaustion. Emotion-focused and problem-focused approaches were identified to be used by registered nurses to cope with emotional exhaustion.

CONCLUSION

When appropriate and effective intervention are employed, emotional exhaustion will be reduce and this will enrich the effectiveness of quality care delivery to patients.

Workload, Workaholism, and Job Performance: Uncovering Their Complex Relationship

The current study aimed to test how workload, via workaholism, impacts job performance along with the complex interplay of perfectionistic concerns and work engagement in this mediated relationship. A two-wave, first and second stage dual-moderated mediation model was tested in an SEM framework. Results based on a sample of 208 workers revealed a complex and nuanced relationship among the studied constructs, such that the simple mediation model was not significant, but the indirect effect was negative, nonsignificant, or positive conditional on both moderators. The results offer interesting theoretical and practical implications for future studies to be conducted in this area of research. In particular, lower levels of perfectionistic concerns were associated with a positive relationship between workload and workaholism, and lower levels of work engagement were related to a negative link between workaholism and job performance. Findings suggest work engagement should be monitored and promoted by managers, especially when workload, and consequently, the possible risk of workaholism, cannot be avoided.

Unravelling Work Drive: A Comparison between Workaholism and Overcommitment

Workaholism and overcommitment are often used as interchangeable constructs describing an individual’s over-involvement toward their own job. Employees with high levels in both constructs are characterized by an excessive effort and attachment to their job, with the incapability to detach from it and negative consequences in terms of poor health and job burnout. However, few studies have simultaneously measured both constructs, and their relationships are still not clear. In this study, we try to disentangle workaholism and overcommitment by comparing them with theoretically related contextual and personal antecedents, as well as their health consequences. We conducted a nonprobability mixed mode research design on 133 employees from different organizations in Italy using both self- and other-reported measures. To test our hypothesis that workaholism and overcommitment are related yet different constructs, we used partial correlations and regression analyses. The results confirm that these two constructs are related to each other, but also outline that overcommitment (and not workaholism) is uniquely related to job burnout, so that overcommitment rather than workaholism could represent the true negative aspect of work drive. Additionally, workaholism is more related to conscientiousness than overcommitment, while overcommitment shows a stronger relationship with neuroticism than workaholism. The theoretical implications are discussed.