Workaholics

Workaholics

1. Definitions

   • (McMillan et al, 2003) - personal reluctance to disengage from work; tendency to work or think about work anytime, anywhere
   • (Mudrack, 2004) - tend to intrude actively on the work of others and takes responsibility for the work of tohers
   • Coined by Oates in 1968
   • (Schaufeli, Taris & Bakker, 2008) - an irresistible inner drive to work excessively hard

2. vs. Work Enthusiasts (Spence & Robbins, 1992) - both score high on work involvement; workaholics score low on work enjoyment, while work enthusiasts score high

3. Organisational Influences (Lynch. 2003) - technology, time zones, virtual working, demanding customers, relocation

4. Interventions

   • Primary- workaholics are acknowledged and rewarded for their excessive work behaviour (learning paradigm); so, organisational culture must be changed; organisations must emphasize the importance of a sound work-life balance by discouraging working at home in the evenings and weekends; design employee rward systems so working smart, rather than hard, is rewarded; supervisors must set a good example
   • Secondary- provide specific skills training programmes to employees and managers; focus on time management and stress management skills; also, social skills training programmes may help emoloyees at risk to percieve and respond adequately to interpersonal and social cues at work
   • Tertiary- motivational interviewing (counsellor helps the individual develop greater problem awareness, which may lead to an improved motivation to change; proven to work for alcoholism and gambling); Workaholics Anonymous (no published evidence, but popular); family counselling (Robinson, 2001); CBT (identifying irrational thoughts and cognitive restructuring

5. Symptoms

   • Workaholism & Health
     • Continuing to work despite danger signs, such as health difficulties, that appear related to levels of work involvement (Porter, 1996)
     • Contributes to coronary heart disease, job related stress, burnout and secondary addiction (Robinson, 1998)
   • Family Centrality
     • Viewed as a compulsive, progressive and potentially fatal disorder; leads to brittle family relationships, marital conflict (Robinson & Post, 1995)
     • Workaholics have a low need for intimacy; superficial social contacts with colleagues are preferred (Machlowitz, 1980)

6. Treatment Difficulties

   • Difficult to treat because it refers to a behaviour (work) which is not an option to stop, so the concept of 'abstinence' doesn't apply; not like substance abuse (Robinson, 2001)
   • Not a criminal behaviour, like gambling, so less social pressure to get treatment (McMillan et al, 2001)
   • Workaholics are largely in denial of problem; more likely to seek counselling for medical problems as a result of workaholism, than psychological support (Porter and Herring, 2006)
   • Workaholics do not have time to seek counselling, as they are always working; so, treatment must not be time consuming

7. Why are workaholics a problem?

   • They refuse to delegate work and have problematic relationships with co-workers (Kanai and Wakabayashi, 2001)
   • Characterized by orderliness, rigidity, and a high need for acheivement (Mudrack, 2004)
   • Inflexible and perfectionistic (Killinger, 2006)
   • Cause stress among co-workers; view co-workers as being of lesser value (Porter, 2011)
   • The workaholic could suffer from psychological distress, poor emotional well-being and psychosomatic complaints
   • Families and social life suffer

8. 5 Traditional Perspectives

   • Addiction Framework- psychologically, dependent on work for benefit or biologically, workaholics are physically dependent on adrenaline; neitherproven
   • Learning Theory Paradigm- working excessively is a desired behaviour, so that reinforcement is maximized
   • Trait Theory- related to perfectionism, need for achievement, obstinancy, orderliness, compulsiveness, rigidity
   • Cognitive Theory- schemas; related to cognitions concerning competing against others and demonstrating one's abilities
   • Family Systems Theory- reaction to a maladapative family functioning