A fine balance between dedication and burnout

How does the self-centers of workholix affect the degree of dedication to their jobs? And how does it affect their mental health?

To find out, a professor at the School of Industrial Relations of Mary-Kolombay Afota, Universal de Montreal, worked with Montreal and colleagues in France to study 544 graduates of a French Business School over a period of eight months.

The findings of three professors – Affota, HEC Montreal’s Christian Wandenberg, and Varonic Robert of Universal Tools Capitol in France – they are – they are – they are – they are – they are – Published In the journal Limitations in psychology,

The study was organized against the background of growing digitalization in society and the increase in distance work during the Kovid -19 epidemic, which has greatly changed people’s relationship into their jobs.

“With the spread of smartphones and emails, the boundaries between individual and professional life have disappeared in the last 15 years, and for many, it has been translated into an increase in hours,” Afota said.

“When the epidemics broke, many ideas will reverse distant work trends. However, the contrary has occurred: many televners feel bound to be available and responsible all the time to show it that they are productive and committed to the job.”

Three types of investment in work

The study distinguishes three types of heavy investment in work: toxic excesses (or workholism), work engagement and affectionate organizational commitment.

Workholism is defined as an addiction to work, “Constant internal pressure and obsessive ideas focus on work related tasks”, while the work engagement is a positive state of mind associated with strength, enthusiasm and concentration. Finally, affectionate organizational commitment refers to an emotional attachment to the organization.

The study found a relationship between work and such investment in the self-concept of workers.

“In our research, the tendency to define yourself in a collective itself – in other words, in the context of membership in a social group – was a prophet of all three forms of heavy investment in work,” said Afota.

In contrast, a individual self-concept is only correlated with workholism.

“Workholism is mainly inspired by deep, less positive goals, such as the need to prove someone’s value, both and others,” said. “The problem is, it never ends, and eventually becomes disastrous.”

The results of the study suggest that the work has adverse effects of various types of heavy investment.

“Workholism only has a negative effect,” said Afota. “Data suggests that it is a risk of an increase in the number of working hours, work surcharge and depression and emotional burnout.”

On the other hand, the work engagement is not associated with work overload and prevents depression and burnouts.

“This discovery challenges traditional knowledge that organizations benefit from giving employment to those who work for a long time,” said Afota. “In fact, it is not necessarily a good sign.”

There was no statistical significant relationship between affectionate organizational commitment and mental-health indicators used in the study.

Fourteen percent workholics are

According to some estimates, about 14 percent of workers are workholix. Therefore, the difference between a healthy investment in work and more investment is becoming an important public health issue.

“In a work scenario where the limit between individual and professional life is rapidly porous, our results ask for reconsideration of management practices that give importance to digital presentism and long -term working hours,” Afota said.

In his view, it is wrong for organizations to believe that always working or always available for employees is for their benefits.

“The challenge is particularly intense for those professionals whose duties are wider and difficult to measure,” he said. “Employers measure volume, the amount of time spent in working, but it is a cognitive shortcut to conclude that if a person works a lot, they are capable.”

The study concludes that it is important for managers that they learn to recognize the warning signals of workholism and promote work engagement as a positive form of investment.

“Organizations would do well to adopt management practices that promote work-life balance,” said Afota. “The quality of work engagement matters more than the quantity. More than ever, balanced the dedication to the job with personal welfare is a subtle art that needs to be mastered.”