Workaholism, Intensive Smartphone Use, and the Sleep-Wake Cycle: A Multiple Mediation Analysis

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.

Electronic Media Use and Sleep Quality: Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

This paper explores the widely discussed relationship between electronic media use and sleep quality, indicating negative effects due to various factors. However, existing meta-analyses on the topic have some limitations.

OBJECTIVE

The study aims to analyze and compare the impacts of different digital media types, such as smartphones, online games, and social media, on sleep quality.

METHODS

Adhering to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, the study performed a systematic meta-analysis of literature across multiple databases, including Web of Science, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, and Google Scholar, from January 2018 to October 2023. Two trained coders coded the study characteristics independently. The effect sizes were calculated using the correlation coefficient as a standardized measure of the relationship between electronic media use and sleep quality across studies. The Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software (version 3.0) was used to perform the meta-analysis. Statistical methods such as funnel plots were used to assess the presence of asymmetry and a p-curve test to test the p-hacking problem, which can indicate publication bias.

RESULTS

Following a thorough screening process, the study involved 55 papers (56 items) with 41,716 participants from over 20 countries, classifying electronic media use into "general use" and "problematic use." The meta-analysis revealed that electronic media use was significantly linked with decreased sleep quality and increased sleep problems with varying effect sizes across subgroups. A significant cultural difference was also observed in these effects. General use was associated with a significant decrease in sleep quality (P<.001). The pooled effect size was 0.28 (95% CI 0.21-0.35; k=20). Problematic use was associated with a significant increase in sleep problems (P≤.001). The pooled effect size was 0.33 (95% CI 0.28-0.38; k=36). The subgroup analysis indicated that the effect of general smartphone use and sleep problems was r=0.33 (95% CI 0.27-0.40), which was the highest among the general group. The effect of problematic internet use and sleep problems was r=0.51 (95% CI 0.43-0.59), which was the highest among the problematic groups. There were significant differences among these subgroups (general: Qbetween=14.46, P=.001; problematic: Qbetween=27.37, P<.001). The results of the meta-regression analysis using age, gender, and culture as moderators indicated that only cultural difference in the relationship between Eastern and Western culture was significant (Qbetween=6.69; P=.01). All funnel plots and p-curve analyses showed no evidence of publication and selection bias.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite some variability, the study overall confirms the correlation between increased electronic media use and poorer sleep outcomes, which is notably more significant in Eastern cultures.

The Workaholism-Technostress Interplay: Initial Evidence on Their Mutual Relationship

During the pandemic, the occurrence of extreme working conditions (e.g., the sudden shift to remote work, isolation, and the slowdown of the work processes) exacerbated several phenomena, such as increased workaholism and stress due to technological devices; that is, technostress. Literature on the onset of these phenomena during the pandemic highlighted a possible interplay among them; however, there is still a dearth of knowledge about the direction of the relationship between workaholism and technostress. The present study assessed the relationship between workaholism and technostress through a two-wave cross-lagged study using path analysis in SEM (Structural Equation Modeling). The study was conducted in Italy during the pandemic, and a total of 113 Italian employees completed the online survey at each wave. Results showed that workaholism at Time 1 was a significant predictor of technostress at Time 2 (β = 0.25, p = 0.049), while the reversed causation was not supported (β = 0.08, p = 0.22). These findings may help employees and organizations to better understand the phenomena of technostress and workaholism and develop strategies to prevent the consequences of excessive and compulsive work and to improve the balanced use of technology for their daily activities.

Examining bedtime procrastination, study engagement, and studyholism in undergraduate students, and their association with insomnia

Introduction

Compulsive overstudying, known as studyholism, is an emerging behavioral addiction. In this study, we examine the prevalence of, and the relationships between, insomnia, study engagement, studyholism, bedtime procrastination among undergraduate students.

Methods

The Studyholism (SI-10), Athens Insomnia (AIS), and bedtime procrastination scales were administered to a convenience sample of 495 university students.

Results

Our findings indicate that the prevalence of insomnia was 75.31%, high studyholism was found in 15.31% of the sample, and increased study engagement was detected in 16.94%. Gender differences analysis revealed that females reported higher studyholism and bedtime procrastination than males. Fifth-year students had higher levels of studyholism than internship (p < 0.001), first-year (p < 0.01), and sixth-year students (p < 0.05). Insomnia was positively related to studyholism and bedtime procrastination. Furthermore, insomnia can be positively predicted by studyholism and bedtime procrastination. Participants with a medium level of studyholism were twice as likely to experience insomnia as those with a low level. Studyholics were six times more susceptible to insomnia than students with low studyholism levels. Compared to individuals with low bedtime procrastination levels, those with medium and high bedtime procrastination were twice as likely to report insomnia.

Conclusion

Our study highlights the interplay between insomnia, studyholism, and bedtime procrastination. Further, the findings indicate the need to increase awareness of insomnia.

How and When May Technostress Impact Workers' Psycho-Physical Health and Work-Family Interface? A Study during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy

Although a growing body of research has analyzed the determinants and effects of technostress, it is still unclear how and when technostress would impact workers' psycho-physical health and work-family interface during the pandemic. To fill this gap, this study tests the mediating mechanisms and the boundary conditions associated with the impact of technostress on workers' psycho-physical well-being and work-family conflict. A total of 266 Italian workers completed online questionnaires measuring (traditional vs. remote) working modalities, technostress, fear of COVID-19, working excessively, psycho-physical distress, work-family conflict, loss of a loved one due to COVID-19, and resilience. Structural equation models were performed. Results indicated that technostress was positively related to psycho-physical distress and work-family conflict, as mediated by fear of COVID-19 and working excessively, respectively. The loss of a loved one exacerbated the effects of fear of COVID-19 on psycho-physical health, while resilience buffered the effects of working excessively on work-family conflict. Since numerous organizations intend to maintain remote working also after the COVID-19 emergency, it is crucial to study this phenomenon during its peaks of adoption, to prevent its potential negative outcomes. The implications of these findings for theory and practice are discussed.

Work Addiction Among Employees and Self-Employed Workers: An Investigation Based on the Italian Version of the Bergen Work Addiction Scale

The increasing interest in work addiction is connected to recent changes in the work culture and work habits. Despite this interest, knowledge pertaining to this phenomenon and measures to assess it are still limited. This study aims to contribute by examining the psychometric features of the Italian version of the Bergen Work Addiction Scale, a unidimensional scale based on the perspective of addiction. The research method consisted in two steps: in the first cross-sectional study, a convenience sample of 1,035 workers filled in a self-report questionnaire; the second step was a two-wave longitudinal study that involved a convenience sample of 292 workers. Results confirmed the psychometric properties of the scale across employees and self-employed groups. Moreover, results showed a significantly higher level of work addiction among self-employed workers than employees. This study provides support for the evaluation of workaholism in the Italian context among different kind of professions.

Workaholism and burnout among stricto sensu graduate professors

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the association of excessive work and compulsive work with the dimensions of the burnout syndrome in masters and doctoral professors of Languages, Literature, and Linguistics in Brazil.

METHODS

Cross-sectional study carried out with 585 permanent professors of stricto sensu graduate studies in Languages, Literature, and Linguistics in Brazil. Data collection took place between February and August 2019, by an online questionnaire. The outcomes of this study were the compulsive work and excessive work dimensions of the Dutch Work Addiction Scale, the Maslach Burnout Inventory ^TM dimensions and their associated factors, identified by multiple logistic regression models.

RESULTS

Professors with a high level of excessive work (29.40%) had 2.75 times the chance of high emotional exhaustion and 2.08 times the chance of high depersonalization. Regarding professors with a high level of compulsive work (8.03%), they had 4.88 times the chance of high emotional exhaustion and 2.97 times the chance of high depersonalization. No association of excessive work and compulsive work with low professional fulfillment was identified.

CONCLUSION

The results showed a statistically significant association of excessive work and compulsive work with high emotional exhaustion and high depersonalization, allowing managers and professors to reflect the criteria that guide their work processes, to adopt management models, institutional regulatory policies, and strategies to improve the working conditions and health of professors.

The role of circadian typology in the relationship between perfectionism and workaholism

Workaholism is a work-related addiction, and the study of its antecedents has a strong individual and social impact. Several studies reported high trait perfectionism in individuals exhibiting workaholism. Although the relationship between perfectionism and workaholism is quite consistent in the literature, it is not yet clear which biological underlying mechanisms might explain this relationship. From a chronopsychological perspective, it has been widely demonstrated that evening-type individuals are more prone to develop addictive behaviour. In the present study, we investigated, for the first time, the role of circadian typology in the relationship between perfectionistic concerns and workaholism. A group of Italian workers (N = 369; 60.70% females; mean age of 38.60 years) took part in a survey. Participants filled in the Bergen Work Addiction Scale (for workaholism), the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (for circadian typology), and the Short Almost-Perfect Scale (for perfectionism). In addition to age, we controlled for workload using the Job Content Questionnaire. Beyond the confirmation of the relationship between perfectionism and workaholism, we found that in high perfectionistic individuals, evening-types reported higher score in Bergen Work Addiction Scale. Based on these findings, limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Smartphone addiction and its associated factors among freshmen medical students in China: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

With smartphone use widespread worldwide, smartphone addiction is an emerging epidemic. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of smartphone addiction among freshmen medical students and to explore its association with personal factors, mental health, and professional identity.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted from October 10th to November 10th, 2020 and included 2,182 first-year college students at Wannan Medical College, China. The smartphone addiction test, professional identity, and a 12-item general health questionnaire were used for this cross-sectional survey. Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) was employed to examine the correlations between smartphone addiction and mental health and professional identity. Binary logistic regression analysis was carried out to assess the factors influencing smartphone addiction. Of the 2,182 students, 866 (39.7%) were identified as having smartphone addiction. The logistic regression analysis shows that four factors (professional identity scale, poor mental health, smartphone use before sleep, and perceived study pressure) were significantly associated with smartphone addiction.

CONCLUSIONS

This cross-sectional study suggests that smartphone addiction is common among Chinese freshmen medical students. Smartphone addiction was common among the freshmen medical students surveyed. The findings imply that promotional programs, aimed at enhancing mental health and professional identity among freshmen medical students, help to reduce smartphone addiction in this population.

The Show Must Go On: A Snapshot of Italian Academic Working Life during Mandatory Work from Home through the Results of a National Survey

During the COVID-19 pandemic, universities worldwide have provided continuity to research and teaching through mandatory work from home. Taking into account the specificities of the Italian academic environment and using the Job Demand-Resource-Recovery model, the present study provides, through an online survey, for the first time a description of the experiences of a large sample of academics (N = 2365) and technical and administrative staff (N = 4086) working in Italian universities. The study analyzes the main differences between genders, roles or work areas, in terms of some job demands, recovery experiences, and outcomes, all important dimensions to achieve goals 3, 4, and 5 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The results support the reflections on gender equality measures in universities and provide a general framework useful for further in-depth analysis and development of measures in order to improve well-being (SDG 3), quality of education (SDG 4), and gender equality (SDG 5).

Perceived Overqualification and Intensive Smartphone Use: A Moderated Mediation Model

Previous studies only considered the impact of personal or environmental factors on intensive smartphone use separately, while largely ignoring the impact of person-environment (P-E) fit on it. Drawing on the P-E fit theory, we proposed that perceived overqualification (POQ), an indicator of person-job misfit, positively affects intensive smartphone use via job boredom, and affective commitment moderates this indirect effect. We examined our hypotheses using four-wave time-lag data of 450 workers from 62 teams. The results revealed that POQ raised job boredom of an individual and thus increased their intensive smartphone use. In addition, when the affective commitment was high, the indirect effect from POQ to intensive smartphone use via job boredom was weaker. The implications, limitations, and future directions of this research were discussed.

Smartphone use after work mediates the link between organizational norm of connectivity and emotional exhaustion: Will workaholism make a difference?

Using smartphone for work in off-work hours has been associated with negative employee outcomes. We postulate that: (1) organizational norm of connectivity precedes employees' work-related smartphone use after work, which predicts emotional exhaustion among employees; and (2) this process is moderated by employees' workaholism. We collected data from 399 full-time employees who completed six online surveys over 3 workdays to test our hypotheses. Multilevel path analysis of these data revealed that organizational norm of connectivity was more strongly related to smartphone use after work among employees with high workaholism compared to those with low workaholism. However, smartphone use was more strongly related to emotional exhaustion among those with low workaholism compared to those with high workaholism. In total, the indirect effect of organizational norm of connectivity on emotional exhaustion through work-related smartphone use after work was significant only for those with low workaholism. These findings highlight the role of organizational norm of connectivity and individual workaholism in the association of work-related smartphone use after work and negative employee outcomes. We discussed the theoretical and practical implications of these findings.

The Good, the Bad and the Blend: The Strategic Role of the "Middle Leadership" in Work-Family/Life Dynamics during Remote Working

The ongoing epidemiological crisis has suddenly steered us towards a new futuristic work scenario in which most service sector employees work remotely, which could be a permanent reality for most service sector employees. This paper focuses on the strategic role that leadership could play in the radical change process that is taking place in work environments. Particular attention was paid to the role of ‘middle managers’ who perform an important function as a link between the strategic vision of top management and the workforce. In addition, special attention was paid to gender differences in work-life dynamics, which are particularly relevant in countries with traditional cultural identities. As this is a conceptual contribution, the most recent studies on this specific role of middle managers have been taken into account and embedded in the current scenario. Therefore, the main contribution in terms of originality was that the current review aimed to leverage such a legacy of knowledge and create a system of evidence-based practical implications for effectively supporting change in organizational culture through the identification of the most appropriate middle management leadership models for remote working that could prevent and/or limit any psychosocial risks (e.g., workaholism and technostress) and longer-term outcomes such as sustainable work-life interface.

Smartphone addiction and associated factors among postgraduate students in an Arabic sample: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Smartphone addiction, as with other behavioral addictions, is associated with social, physical, and mental health issues. In this article, we investigated the prevalence of smartphone addiction among postgraduate students and evaluated its correlation with social demographics, depression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and nicotine dependence.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of smartphone addiction among Middle Eastern postgraduate students, determine the factors associated with smartphone addiction, and estimate the incidence rate of major depressive disorder (MDD), ADHD, insomnia, and nicotine addiction among postgraduate students with smartphone addiction.

METHODS

As part of a cross-sectional online survey, participants were given a self-questionnaire divided into six sections: Socio-demographics, Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ9) for Depression, Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), the Fagerström Test for Cigarette Dependence Questionnaire (FTCd), and the adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS-v1.1).

RESULTS

Of the 506 patients, 51.0% of the participants demonstrated smartphone addiction. A significant association was also observed between extensive smartphone use and MDD (P = 0.001). Of the smokers in this study, 41.5% were addicted to smartphones (P = 0.039). Smartphone addicts had approximately two times the chance of having insomnia (OR = 2.113) (P = 0.013). In addition, they showcased more ADHD symptoms (OR = 2.712) (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

We found a positive association among insomnia, depression, adult ADHD, and smartphone addiction, which confirms the findings reported in the previous studies. Therefore, we encourage the scientific community to further study the impacts of smartphone addiction on the mental health of postgraduate students.

Psychometric properties of the Portuguese Dutch Work Addiction Scale

OBJECTIVE

To analyse the psychometric properties of the Dutch Work Addiction Scale in a sample of Portuguese nurses.

METHOD

A methodological study was conducted with 1,030 Portuguese nurses. A sociodemographic/professional questionnaire and the Dutch Work Addiction Scale applied between October and December 2019.

RESULTS

The Confirmatory Factorial Analyses confirmed the factorial structure of two dimensions, namely Working Excessively (α = .730) and Working Compulsively (α = .752), grounded on the theoretical model of workaholism; the reliability values were considered adequate. Nurses presented a moderate level of workaholism, with a higher mean value for Working Excessively.

CONCLUSION

The results raised the issue of workaholism and highlighted the need for further study. The Portuguese version of the DUWAS presented good psychometric characteristics and can be considered a valid and useful instrument to identify this problem.

Youths' Habitual Use of Smartphones Alters Sleep Quality and Memory: Insights from a National Sample of Chinese Students

A growing body of work has been devoted to studying the smartphone addiction in youths and its impact on their lives, but less is known about the predictors and effects of youth habitual use of smartphones. Guided by social cognitive theory, this study investigates how habitual smartphone use affects sleep quality and everyday memory based on a nationally representative sample of Chinese students (N = 2298). It uses a cluster-randomized sampling with stratification of different areas, consisting of both urban and rural students aged 6–18 years from elementary, middle, and high schools across China. It found that Chinese students exhibited a habitual smartphone use, who were generally confident in using mobile devices, but few had smartphone addiction. Significant gender and age differences were identified concerning the habitual use of smartphone. Specifically, boys demonstrated higher levels of habitual use and smartphone self-efficacy than the girls. High school students showed the highest level of habitual smartphone use compared to those in elementary and middle schools. Smartphone use duration, frequency, and self-efficacy predicted the habitual use, which also led to poorer sleep quality and worse memory outcomes. Prebedtime exposure moderated the relationship between habitual smartphone uses and sleep quality. The results show that students’ habitual smartphone use had a significant impact on their health, cognition and more, even when they exhibited little smartphone addiction. The findings contribute to a better understanding of smartphone impact on school-age youths.

Relationship of Problematic Smartphone Use, Sleep Quality, and Daytime Fatigue Among Quarantined Medical Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic brought about great transformation to medical education mode. Although mobile communication devices played a crucial role in online learning among quarantined university students, the potential smartphone addition problems, negative health behaviors, and psychological symptoms need considerable attention. This study examined the relationship of problematic smartphone use (PSU), sleep quality, and daytime fatigue among medical students. Methods: A web-based survey was conducted in six polyclinic hospitals in Beijing between February and May 2020. 1016 participants (26.01 ± 2.46 years, 65.16% female) completed self-report measurements including Short Version Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS-SV), Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), and Subjective Fatigue Scale (FS). Spearman correlation coefficients and multiple regression models were used to analyze the association among PSU, sleep quality, and daytime fatigue. We used structural equation modeling to test the mediating effect of sleep quality between PSU and daytime fatigue. Results: 49.70% of the participants had PSU. Significant positive correlations were found among SAS-SV, AIS, and FS scores (r = 0.35-0.61, P _S < 0.001). Subjects with PSU were more likely to report sleep disturbance (β = 1.07, P < 0.001, OR = 2.91, 95%CI = 2.17-3.91), physical fatigue (β = 1.16, P < 0.001, OR = 3.18, 95%CI = 2.45-4.15), and mental fatigue (β = 0.88, P < 0.001, OR = 2.42, 95%CI = 1.86-3.14). The indirect effect of PSU on physical fatigue and mental fatigue mediated by sleep quality accounted for 50.03 and 45.43% of the total effect, respectively. Conclusions: PSU was significantly associated with sleep disturbance and fatigue among medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sleep quality mediated the relationship between PSU and daytime fatigue. Our results provide valuable information for maintaining medical students' health status and constructing online education structures.

A daily diary investigation on the job-related affective experiences fueled by work addiction

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

We studied the quality of the job-related emotional experiences associated with work addiction. We hypothesized that work addiction would fuel both a higher level of daily job-related negative affect and a lower level of daily job-related positive affect and that such affective experiences would mediate the relationship between work addiction and emotional exhaustion reported at the end of the working day. Additionally, in light of typical behaviors and cognitions associated with work addiction, we also hypothesized that work addiction would modify the relationships between day workload and same day emotional strain reactions (i.e., job-related negative affect and job-related positive affect).

METHODS

Participants were 213 workers (42.5% female), most of whom holding a high-profile job position, who were followed for 10 consecutive working days in the context of a daily diary study.

RESULTS

Multilevel analyses controlling for neuroticism revealed that work addiction was uniquely and positively related to daily job-related negative affect and that the latter mediated the relationship between work addiction and daily emotional exhaustion. On the other hand, work addiction was not negatively related to daily job-related positive affect; this relationship emerged only when removing neuroticism from the model. Additionally, work addiction strengthened the relationship between day workload and day job-related negative affect.

DISCUSSION

Results indicate that work addicted are characterized by the experience of a negatively connotated affect during work, and that this kind of affect may be a mechanism explaining the work addiction-burnout relationship.

Workaholism and Technostress During the COVID-19 Emergency: The Crucial Role of the Leaders on Remote Working

Although remote working can involve positive outcomes both for employees and organizations, in the case of the sudden and forced remote working situation that came into place during the COVID-19 crisis there have also been reports of negative aspects, one of which is technostress. In this context of crisis, leadership is crucial in sustainably managing and supporting employees, especially employees with workaholic tendencies who are more prone to developing negative work and health outcomes. However, while research on the role of the positive aspects of leadership during crises does exist, the negative aspects of leadership during the COVID-19 crisis have not yet been studied. The present study aimed to explore the role of authoritarian leadership in a sample of 339 administrative university employees who worked either completely from home or from home and the workplace. The study examined the moderating effect of a manager on this relationship and the connections between workaholism and technostress through conditional process analysis. Results pointed out that high authoritarian leadership had an enhancing effect, whereas low authoritarian leadership had a protective effect on the relationship between workaholism and technostress, only in the group of complete remote workers. Thus, authoritarian leadership should be avoided and training leaders to be aware of its effect appears to be essential. Limitations, future directions for the study, and practical implications are also discussed.

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 [...].

Negative (Workaholic) Emotions and Emotional Exhaustion: Might Job Autonomy Have Played a Strategic Role in Workers with Responsibility during the Covid-19 Crisis Lockdown?

Decision-making autonomy may have played a crucial role in protecting, or on the contrary, intensifying the onset of negative psychological outcomes for workers with roles with responsibilities during the lockdown due to the Covid-19 crisis. The present study analyzed the emotional dimension of workaholism in relation to emotional exhaustion, considering decision-making autonomy as a moderator of this relationship, in a sample of 101 managers and freelancers in the middle of the lockdown in Italy (early April 2020). Results showed that the relationship between negative (workaholic) emotions and emotional exhaustion was moderated by decision-making autonomy and this moderation differed for managers and freelancers. In particular, the results showed that in the target of managers high levels of negative emotional experiences related to workaholism and low decision-making autonomy are associated with higher levels emotional exhaustion, while high levels of emotional experiences linked to workaholism and high decision-making autonomy produced significantly lower levels of emotional exhaustion. On the contrary, low levels of job autonomy were associated to higher level of emotional exhaustion when negative (workaholic) emotions were low for the freelancers. Limitations are related to the limited sample and the cross-sectional nature of the study. Practical implications lie in considering decision-making autonomy as a double-edged sword, such that when low it could be a risk for managers and when high it could be a risk for freelancers.

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.