How To Get Your Workaholism Working For You
BERLIN, GERMANY - JANUARY 14: Young couple working with laptops late at night in their bed, the ... More scene is posed by models on January 14, 2014, in Berlin, Germany.(Photo by Thomas Trutschel/Photothek via Getty Images)
If you've ever read a book only to get to the end of the page and realize you've been thinking about work the whole time, you may be experiencing workaholism. Maybe you decided to skip that dinner party across town because you have so much work to do…or perhaps it's that some days you have so much work to do that you feel guilty taking a break, even if it's just to eat lunch or go to the washroom. For years, we've heard dire warnings that long hours can take a taxing toll on our longevity and to avoid an early grave, we have looked to a number of tools and tactics to pull us away from our commitment to work.
But this research, published in Academy of Management Discoveries by Drs. Lieke ten Brummelhuis, Nancy Rothbard, and Benjamin Uhrich, reveals a far more nuanced picture. The authors meticulously disentangle two crucial aspects of "working to excess": the simple act of working long hours (a behaviour) versus a workaholism (a mentality), captured by the compulsive inner drive to work. What these researchers found is genuinely surprising and carries significant implications for how we perceive, manage, and even encourage work in our organizations.
The central finding is that it's not the actions we take that matter most, but the thoughts we have. In other words, working long hours, by itself, doesn't appear to be the primary culprit behind severe health risks. Their findings showed that it was not the sheer number of hours that led to decreases in happiness and increases in cardiovascular issues, at least according to the objective health biomarkers like those associated with metabolic syndrome used in this study of 763 employees. Instead, the real alarm bell rings for workaholism – that compulsive, often guilt-driven need to work. This deep-seated mentality was directly linked to a cascade of negative health outcomes. The study reveals that workaholics experience reduced subjective well-being, manifesting as depressive feelings, sleep problems, and a pervasive "need for recovery" that ironically, makes it difficult for them to actually recover. This internal distress triggers a health impairment process that can eventually lead to physiological issues like elevated blood pressure and cholesterol – precursors to serious conditions like cardiovascular disease. The constant mental engagement with work, the inability to truly "switch off," seems to be the critical factor disrupting the body's natural recovery and equilibrium.
But here's where it gets even more fascinating, and frankly, encouraging, especially for leaders who have the ability to influence employee experiences: work engagement acts as a powerful shield against these health risks, even for workaholics. The research distinguishes between "non-engaged workaholics" (those who work compulsively but don't enjoy it) and "engaged workaholics" (who also work excessively and compulsively, but find vigour, absorption, and dedication in their tasks).
The stark difference? Non-engaged workaholics faced a significantly higher risk for metabolic syndrome. However, for the highly engaged workaholics, this health impairment process was markedly attenuated. In fact, the study even hinted at a negative direct relationship between workaholism and health risks for the engaged group, suggesting a protective effect.
Why this protective mechanism? The authors propose that engaged workaholics possess more robust resources, externally - like job autonomy, social support at work and home, as well as internally, such as time management skills, communication skills, and greater intrinsic motivation. These resources enable them to better cope with stress, viewing work demands as challenges to be overcome rather than debilitating threats. This "thriving" mindset, which can be trained with intention and consistency, allows them to adapt and even grow stronger in response to work-related stressors, effectively buffering against the negative health consequences. Work-Life Strategy, a recent book written by one of the authors of this study, offers more information on how to untangle the compelling pressure to work all the time.
The takeaways for industry professionals are profound.
1. Firstly, it's time to shift our focus from simply counting hours to understanding the why behind working habits. Companies should prioritize identifying and addressing compulsive work mentalities, particularly when coupled with low engagement.
2. Secondly, fostering a culture of high work engagement is not just about productivity; it's a critical investment in employee health and resilience. Job designs that provide autonomy, meaningful tasks, constructive feedback, and supportive relationships can cultivate this engagement, helping even the most dedicated workers thrive without compromising their well-being.
Ultimately, this research provides a powerful blueprint for creating workplaces where intense dedication doesn't come at the cost of health. It encourages us to demand of ourselves and our work a higher standard for meaningful, genuinely engaging work and social connection by cultivating an environment where working hard is intertwined with authenticity, respect, civility, purpose, and recognition. It's about striving for an "engaged form of workaholism," where employees feel committed to devote their skills and resources towards something that they believe in so that the harder they work, the healthier they will be - and as a result, the more sustainable an organization's success.
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