Understanding Workaholism: the effects of work centrality and psychological overwork climate on workaholism

Abstract

This study examines the association of workaholism and its dimensions (i.e., behavioral dimension, motivational dimension, cognitive dimension, emotional dimension) with work centrality and psychological overwork climate (i.e., overwork endorsement, lacking overwork rewards). Understanding the relationships among these constructs will serve in creating targeted interventions to contain workaholism and its potential negative effects on employees. Relationships were tested with a quantitative research strategy, through the use of an online questionnaire, in a sample of 144 employees working in Cyprus. The results indicate that work centrality and overwork endorsement are positively related to workaholism and all its dimensions. Further, results show that lacking overwork rewards is negatively related to workaholism and its cognitive and emotional dimensions. Nonetheless, according to the findings, lacking overwork rewards is unrelated to the behavioral and motivational dimensions of workaholism. All in all, the evidence from this study suggests that both personal and contextual factors influence workaholism. Specifically, employees who have high work centrality or work in an organization that endorses and rewards overwork are more likely to be or become workaholics. These findings represent the first step towards closing the gap that exists in the literature regarding the association of workaholism and its dimensions with work centrality, overwork endorsement, and lacking overwork rewards, which, in turn, paves the way for effective organizational interventions.