Your feedback from survey – Work Addiction

Your feedback from our survey

If you have participated in our survey, you have obtained detailed feedback at the end.

It can be useful in gaining a broader perspective on how you function at work, the risks associated with excessive stress at work, and their potential causes due to the work environment or individual factors such as personality.

The feedback is based on up-to-date scientific research. In this section, in the description of particular variables and their meaning, we provide links to other sources (e.g., World Health Organization pages and other institutions and organizations, scientific papers, including meta-analyses and reviews when available) where you can find more detailed information. The strength of scientific evidence for different variables may vary, and we provide some indications of how well-researched/established is a given piece of information.

The feedback from the survey is organized in the following way:

work addiction risk
work-related depression risk
work-related health and functioning
work environment and social support
individual factors/personality

These constitute two main groups of information. The first concerns your work-related mental health, including work addiction and work-related depression. The second includes more information about health-related factors at work (burnout and stress), and an analysis of potential factors associated with work addiction, work-related depression, and burnout risk. The table below summarizes how these factors are related to health risks.

For example, high levels of job stress increase the risk of work addiction, work-related depression, and burnout. At the same time, low levels of job satisfaction or work-life balance may increase the risk of work addiction, work-related depression, and burnout. The strength of evidence for causal relationships between these factors and health risks varies; further, we provide more detailed analyses of each factor.

Factors associated with work addiction, work-related depression, and burnout risk
HIGH LEVELS OF:	LOW LEVELS OF:
job stress and general perceived stress organization identification (extreme) job centrality	job satisfaction work-life balance occupational self-efficacy meaning at work healthy work engagement
the motivational climate at work that supports competitiveness	the motivational climate at work that focuses on and supports personal development
Demands	Resources: organizational support
workaholic supervisor workaholic work environment	supervisor support on work-related issues work colleagues support on work-related issues family and friends support on work-related issues
Personality traits
dysfunctional perfectionism narcissism intolerance of uncertainty	emotional stability self-esteem

In your feedback, the scores marked in red indicate the areas that may be associated with high work-related stress and impaired psychological functioning.

NOTE: These results do not constitute a psychological diagnosis but are only an approximate estimate of the severity of certain traits and phenomena.

In case of worrying results, such as an indication of work addiction or work-related depression, further clinical evaluations are necessary that could confirm or rule out the possible diagnosis. In such a case, we recommend contacting a mental health professional.

If you have HIGH WORK ADDICTION RISK

Your feedback is not a psychological diagnosis but provides an approximate estimate of the severity of symptoms related to work addiction. You may have obtained one of three feedbacks below related to high work addiction risk.

A high score on all seven symptoms

Only a very small portion of the population obtains such a high score (typically less than 1%). You likely suffer from a compulsion to overwork, especially if you also have high work-related depression and burnout scores. You will likely experience other health problems or family/relationship problems related to excessive work. Maybe you feel deep loneliness because of how much you work, or you work so much because you are very lonely.

You may experience withdrawal symptoms if you try to reduce the amount of work or rest from work. For example, you may feel anxious, restless, irritable, depressed, and tired; you may experience headaches, muscle aches, sleep problems, or flu-like symptoms on the weekends or during holidays when you do not work. Maybe you have already tried to work less or think about working less, but you cannot do it. You may feel “forced” to work by some inner drive you cannot control. If any of these apply to you, it is advised that you consult a professional who may conduct a proper diagnosis. You may find some information about work addiction, available solutions, and where to seek help on this web page.

Above the cut-off point. Potential work addiction.

If you have obtained such feedback, it means that you are at high risk of work addiction. Based on previous studies, the percentage of individuals fulfilling this cut-off point varies from country to country (from about 7 to 20%). Also, as with any other addiction, work addiction may have milder or more severe forms. Your score in the survey suggests that you are at high risk of work addiction, but you would need further professional evaluation to determine how severe the problem is in your case.

This will depend on two main factors.

First, how strong is your compulsion to work excessively? Can you control how much you work? Can you disengage from work if you want to?

Second, what are the consequences of your excessive work? Did you also obtain high scores on work-related depression and burnout? How much stress do you experience in relation to your work? Do you have other health problems or family/relationship problems related to how much you work?

If you feel that you may be addicted to work, then consult a professional who may conduct a proper diagnosis. On this web page, you may find some information about work addiction, available solutions, and where to seek help. If you feel that you have a problem, you may also try to introduce some recommended life modifications.

16-20 points: Risk of work addiction.

If you have obtained such feedback, it means that you may have some risk of work addiction. Most likely, you are not addicted yet, but you may already experience some initial problems related to excessive work, or you may feel that you work too much and you are slowly losing control over it. You may find some information about work addiction,available solutions, and where to seek help on this web page. If you feel that you may develop work addiction, you can try to introduce some recommended life modifications that could prevent you from progressing into full-blown work addiction.

This whole webpage is devoted to work addiction. Here, you will find the state-of-the-art information on its history, definition and symptoms, prevalence, risk factors, association with burnout and other consequences, comorbidities, and diagnosis.

Most importantly, there is up-to-date information about potential solutions to work addiction, including self-help lifestyle modifications, meso-level organizational solutions, macro-level recommendations to policy-makers, institutions, international organizations, and governments, and therapeutic options with information on where to seek help.

If you have a HIGH WORK-RELATED DEPRESSION RISK

You experience depressive symptoms, and they are related to your work. You may want to confirm the diagnosis of depression with a professional who will also provide you with further guidance on its treatment.

Can work cause depression?

Depression results from a complex interaction of social, psychological, and biological factors. High and chronic stress is a recognized risk factor in depressive disorders, e.g., adverse life events (unemployment, bereavement, traumatic events) increase the likelihood of developing depression. Depression can, in turn, lead to more stress and dysfunction and exacerbate the impacted person’s life situation and the depression itself.

Consequently, a highly stressful work environment may increase your risk of depression, make your depression worse, or prevent you from recovering from depression.

Is depression related to work addiction?

Your depression may be directly related to work addiction (if you have a high risk), but that would need further inquiry from a professional.

Your depression may also be unrelated to work addiction, and other stressful factors at work may contribute to it, such as mobbing, excessive workload, lack of support, and other recognized risk factors for occupational depression.

Also, other factors outside your work environment may contribute to your depression, including individual (e.g., personality, traumas, health issues) or social (e.g., relationship problems). These may interact with work stresses, or work may make them worse.

The bottom line

Depression is a serious mental health problem.

In all cases, it is important to get help and understand where your problems may come from.

If your job is the primary source of your depression, proper solutions can be applied.

YOUR WORK-RELATED HEALTH AND FUNCTIONING

You may take a look at your overall work functioning. We have provided you with feedback on crucial areas related to mental and physical health at work, apart from work addiction and occupational depression risk.

Burnout (exhaustion)

What is it?

Burn-out is defined in the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision (ICD-11) by the World Health Organization as follows:

“Burnout is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by three dimensions:

• feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion;

• increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and

• reduced professional efficacy.

Burn-out refers specifically to phenomena in the occupational context and should not be applied to describe experiences in other areas of life.”

Exhaustion is the core symptom of burnout and indicates the overall feeling of being overwhelmed and fatigued by work duties. More and more research suggests that it is strictly related to depression. There are numerous resources on burnout that you can find on the web, including the World Health Organization web page.

Its meaning for work and general functioning

In some countries, e.g., Sweden, burnout is a recognized condition for which individuals may seek health leave. In most countries, however, it is not yet officially recognized as a medical condition. Nevertheless, it is a serious health problem that may contribute significantly to your everyday functioning, and you may want to seek professional help to cope with it.

Its meaning for WORK ADDICTION

Burn-out is closely related to work addiction and may be its major consequence.

The bottom line

Work addiction may cause severe burnout, which may yield you professionally and personally incapacitated. It is better to prevent it with proper stress reduction solutions than suffer its consequences and treat it. Recovery from a full-blown burnout syndrome may be very challenging and take years.

Job stress and perceived stress

What is it?

According to WHO:

“Stress can be defined as any type of change that causes physical, emotional or psychological strain. Stress is your body’s response to anything that requires attention or action. Everyone experiences stress to some degree. The way you respond to stress, however, make a big difference to your overall well-being.”

Its meaning for work and general functioning

Occupational stress and high workload are being increasingly recognized as significant contributors to the diseases and disorders constituting major components of the global burden of disease. These include, among many others, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, substance use disorders, neuropsychiatric diseases and disorders such as depression, anxiety, Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease, and a host of autoimmune diseases.

If you have high job stress, in most cases, your work is a major source of stress in your life.

If you have high general perceived stress, it means that the overall amount of stress in your life is high and worrisome.

Some people may experience high stress at work but otherwise have a balanced lifestyle, and their overall perceived stress is not too high. Other people may experience low stress at work but high stress outside (e.g., related to family problems). The first step to managing your health is to recognize the major sources of stress in your life and address issues related to these areas.

Its meaning for WORK ADDICTION

Stress inside and outside the work environment is related to work addiction. It may be its major consequence as well as cause. All addictions are related to ineffective coping with stress and/or other mental health problems. In other words we get addicted as a consequence of habitually regulating our mood with substances or behaviors such as work. At the same time, addictions create more stress and more problems. It happens due to two reasons.

First, we do not address effectively and remove the primary source of stress or problems but use substance or behavior to escape them. For example, you may excessively focus on work because you feel lonely. Work may help you forget about negative emotions and thoughts. However, the proper solution would be to develop healthy social relationships, which may require some effort, and devoting more time to this area of life. Social skills training or therapy could be beneficial and recommended to improve communication, relationship-building skills, and emotional self-regulation.

Secondly, substances or behaviors create more problems and stress. For example, work addiction may push you to work beyond your physical and mental limits causing physical health problems, mental health problems, or relationship problems.

The bottom line

The more distressed you are in and outside your job, the more mental and physical health problems you may experience. Long-lasting ill-managed stress, particularly job-related, may trigger work addiction, which will cause more stress and further negatively affect your health and functioning.

Job Satisfaction

What is it?

Job satisfaction is a positive emotional state resulting from how you perceive and evaluate your job or job experiences. In other words, it is a matter of whether you like your job or individual aspects or facets of your job. Job satisfaction has cognitive (evaluative), affective (or emotional), and behavioral components.

Its meaning for work and general functioning

Job satisfaction is related to better overall health, including psychological and physical, and seems to be related to better job performance. However, some analyses suggest that this relationship may be, to some extent, explained by personality traits, and can be fully explained by your organization-based self-esteem. Organization-based self-esteem is the extent to which you believe yourself to be valued and competent as a member of your organization. In other words, job satisfaction is related to better performance because satisfied employees feel that their organization appreciates them. They are working better and satisfied because they are appreciated. Numerous studies look into determinants of job satisfaction such as salary, employment type, and interests fit. On the other hand, job satisfaction may positively affect organizational citizenship behaviors, cause less counterproductive work behaviors, less turnover intention and actual turnover, less absenteeism, and employee lateness.

Its meaning for WORK ADDICTION

Work addiction is related to lower job satisfaction. While some people may initially feel a lot of pleasure, pride, and sense of fulfillment related to their job, later, with developing work addiction and/or burnout, these may gradually subside. Work addiction is related to the burnout component of decreased professional efficacy, which may affect the satisfaction derived from work. Your emotional attitude to work will be negative if you feel overwhelmed by your duties, lack support from your supervisors and colleagues, are always racing with time, and are not properly rewarded for your efforts. A stressful work environment may cause low job satisfaction and push you into work addiction, further increasing stress and decreasing your job satisfaction.

The bottom line

Job satisfaction is related to overall good functioning and health. Work addiction may lead to lower job satisfaction, impaired functioning, and worse health. Proper solutions to increasing job satisfaction (e.g, improving organizational support and appreciation of employees’ work) may likely reduce work addiction risk.

Work-life balance

What is it?

Work-life balance is the amount of time you spend doing your job compared with the amount of time you spend with your family and doing things you enjoy. Work-life balance is systematically scientifically researched, and many organizations and institutions provide data on the current findings. For example, a comparison of the work-life balance index across countries alongside other interesting data is provided by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) alongside other interesting data.

Its meaning for work and general functioning

Many factors affect work-life balance, including high job demands, low job resources such as organizational support, family-related demands and resources, socioeconomic status, and individual antecedents such as personality.

Work-life balance is related to health and well-being, including family satisfaction and overall life satisfaction.

Depending on your life situation, you may want to inquire which factors disturb your work-life balance. Some of them may be effectively addressed, resulting in a better quality of life. For example, couple therapy or family therapy may address problems at home. Social skills training may be an option if you have problems establishing and maintaining healthy social relationships. Maybe you have problems with time management which results in wasted time that could be allocated to your family or activities that bring you joy. For example, dysfunctional perfectionism is associated with wasting time on meaningless details, often resulting in tasks not being done according to the schedule.

Its meaning for WORK ADDICTION

Work addiction is related to an imbalance between work and family life, as well as work and leisure, to lower family satisfaction/functioning and marital disaffection, lower support provided to the partner, withdrawal from family interactions, and communication difficulties.

Problematic social functioning is intrinsically related to work addiction. Throughout 1990’s and later, Prof. Bryan E. Robinson dedicated his research to investigate the family and social functioning of individuals addicted to work. Their spouses often feel lonely, misunderstood, and left alone with parenting responsibilities. Their children suffer profound psychological problems, including abandonment issues, resulting in anxiety and depression, and other emotional and behavioral problems (some studies suggest that more often than children of parents with an alcohol problem).

For many, work may be an escape from problems in the family, which, in turn, further aggravates these problems. A lack of a healthy and supportive family/friends environment may increase the risk of work addiction.

On the other hand, if your work is excessively demanding and stressful, you may not find time and energy for anything outside work, including your family, friends, and your hobbies. This may lead to even more stress and consequently to mental and physical health problems, including an increased risk of work addiction. It may be particularly unfavorable because once you develop a compulsion (inner pressure) to work, it may be difficult for you to stop, even when excessive external demands are reduced.

The bottom line

Work-life balance is related to better well-being and health. Many factors may affect it, so it is important to analyze and understand your life situation to address potential causes of disturbed balance. Work addiction is strictly related to work-life imbalance because work is given absolute priority. Understanding factors that affect work-life balance may help reduce the risk of work addiction or help recover from it.

Organizational identification

What is it?

Organizational identification refers to the degree to which you define yourself as a member of the organization and to what extent you experience a sense of oneness with it, its values, brand, methods, etc.

Its meaning for work and general functioning

Employees who identify with their organization tend to have higher levels of work performance and are more likely to engage in organizational citizenship behaviors such as voicing constructive suggestions or helping coworkers. They are more satisfied with their job and less likely to quit.

Its meaning for WORK ADDICTION

Some research suggests that employee organizational identification is positively related to employee health and well-being. However, too much identification is associated with work addiction, which is associated with decreased well-being. The so-called unidimensional identity may cause a lot of problems. It happens when your whole sense of who you are is derived from one activity or social role. It is best researched among athletes, especially the young, who frequently derive their whole identity from the sport discipline they train. It may lead to burnout and a prematurely damaged career. Similarly, deriving the whole sense of who you are only from your work may lead to a complete and exclusive focus on it, excessive stress related to problems arising in this domain, and extreme emotional and behavioral reactions to failures in this area of life. All these may increase your risk of work addiction as a consequence of your unduly efforts to succeed in your work, avoid any mistakes, and build your whole identity and self-worth based on your work and its results.

The bottom line

While identifying with your organization is generally positive and may improve your job performance and well-being, extreme identification may turn into an obsession that leads to work addiction. When your work and organization become central in your life, work-life balance may be disturbed, which, in turn, may lead to excessive work, work-related stress, and, consequently, mental and physical health problems. Beware of deriving the whole sense of who you are only from your work. Development of multidimensional identity (as a friend, partner, parent, member of your local community, etc.) may decrease the risk of developing work addiction and burnout.

Occupational self-efficacy

What is it?

Occupational self-efficacy concerns how you perceive your capabilities necessary to perform your job. High occupational self-efficacy means that you are convinced that you can do your job well and effectively deal with all problems arising in your job.

Its meaning for work and general functioning

Sometimes you may feel low occupational self-efficacy if the job does not fit your competencies and the demands are higher than your individual resources. For example, maybe you are not qualified enough to perform a particular job, and you would rather do some other one that fits better your education and skills.

However, decreased sense of professional self-efficacy may also be a symptom of burnout. Long-lasting ill-managed stress may cause you to feel overwhelmed with your work duties, and consequently, you may feel that you can no longer do your job well and cannot deal effectively with the problems arising at work.

Its meaning for WORK ADDICTION

Work addiction is related to the burnout component of decreased professional efficacy. Your emotional attitude to work will be negative if you feel overwhelmed by your duties, lack support from your supervisors and colleagues, are always racing with time, and are not properly rewarded for your efforts. A stressful work environment may cause a sense of low occupational self-efficacy and push you into work addiction, which will further increase stress, may lead to burnout, and decrease your ability to perform your job well.

Some people may try to deal with their initial low sense of occupational self-efficacy by overcompensating for it with hard work. In other words, they work hard because they feel they cannot deal with the challenges of their work effectively if they do not put extreme effort into it. This may increase the risk of work addiction. More studies are necessary to understand to what extent and when low occupational self-efficacy is the cause and to what extent and when it is a consequence of work addiction.

The bottom line

Occupational self-efficacy is related to overall good functioning and health. Work addiction may lead to burnout and the feeling that you cannot do your job well anymore. Sometimes the feeling that you lack the individual capabilities necessary to perform your job may result in extreme efforts to compensate for it with hard work, increasing the risk of work addiction. Adjusting work demands to individual resources and proper solutions to reducing the risk of work addiction may prevent loss of self-efficacy at work.

Meaning at work

What is it?

Meaning at work refers to the extent to which your work is meaningful to you and expresses your personal values. It is often associated with workplace spirituality. It can be viewed from a wider perspective of spirituality and/or meaning in life.

Its meaning for work and general functioning

Meaning in life is currently a well-established factor having a positive effect on well-being, mental and physical health, life satisfaction, happiness, and general functioning. Spirituality is a well-recognized factor in addiction recovery.

Meaning at work positively impacts the self, others, and organizations. It may contribute to self-growth, improvement of the work environment, and enhanced performance.

Its meaning for WORK ADDICTION

Work addiction is related to a lower sense of meaning in life. In many cases, it may result from excessive conscious or unconscious efforts to find or create meaning in life through work. Problems may arise when meaning in life and meaning at work overlap too much, and there is an accompanying inability to find meaning and value in other spheres of life, especially in healthy and satisfying social relationships.

The bottom line

You may suffer from lower well-being and poorer health if your work is not meaningful to you. At the same time, your impact on work colleagues and your organization will not be positive. On the other hand, work addiction may result from excessive efforts to find meaning in life in work or through work. While it is important to perceive meaning and value in your work, it should be balanced with the ability to find meaning and value in other spheres of life, particularly healthy and satisfying social relationships.

Job/work centrality

What is it?

Work centrality refers to the value and importance you give to work compared to other life spheres, such as leisure, family, and religion. If you are highly work-centered, your identity is strongly based on your work-related experiences.

Its meaning for work and general functioning

Work centrality is positively related to organizational commitment and job satisfaction and negatively to the intention to quit.

Its meaning for WORK ADDICTION

Work centrality, to some extent, overlaps with work addiction. Both constructs refer to the fact that work is or becomes the most important activity in your life. In many cases, work centrality may precede work addiction. Some people who put great value and importance on work may not become addicted to it. However, in many cases, neglecting other spheres of life, such as family or leisure, may result in a compulsive attitude toward working.

The bottom line

Putting the highest value on work may be positively associated with work-related phenomena such as organizational commitment or job satisfaction. However, when work becomes central in your life, you may overly depend on it to define your identity and self-value, leading to work addiction.

Healthy work engagement

What is it?

When your work has meaning and value to you, and you enjoy performing it, you will be positively engaged in it.

Work engagement is a positive, fulfilling, work-related state of mind characterized by vigor, dedication, and absorption. Vigor refers to high levels of energy and mental resilience while working, the willingness to invest effort in one’s work, and persistence even in the face of difficulties. Dedication refers to being strongly involved in one’s work, and experiencing a sense of significance, enthusiasm, inspiration, pride, and challenge. Absorption refers to being fully concentrated and happily engrossed in one’s work, whereby time passes quickly, and one has difficulties detaching oneself from work.

Its meaning for work and general functioning

Work engagement is a positive work attitude associated with favorable outcomes and health.

Work engagement is sometimes understood as the opposite of burnout, with numerous positive outcomes, most of the motivational kind. Engaged employees experience more active, positive emotions than nonengaged employees. They are more open to new experiences, eager to learn, and creative. They also tend to perform better in their job.

Work engagement is linked to better health. Among possible explanations is that engaged workers are more motivated to engage in leisure-time activities, which are relaxing and help to detach psychologically from work, including sports and exercise, social activities, and hobbies.

Its meaning for WORK ADDICTION

Work addiction and work engagement are related but different phenomena. The former is a pathological addictive pattern leading to a wide range of negative consequences. The latter is a positive work attitude associated with favorable outcomes and health. However, the tricky part is that both involve similar components of high time and effort involvement in work, so “on the surface,” they may look very similar, indistinguishable to some. A lot of research has been done to compare and differentiate these two phenomena.

The crucial factors that may link healthy engagement to work addiction, and may be involved in the transition into compulsive overworking are the absorption component of engagement and the mood modification component of work addiction. Those who are fully concentrated and happily engrossed in their work, whereby time passes quickly and have difficulties detaching themselves from work, may increasingly depend on work to regulate their mood. This may happen particularly if you have other risk factors such as neuroticism and dysfunctional perfectionism and experience a lot of stress in your life. When it happens, you start to use work as a type of “drug” that allows you to run away from negative emotions, focus on your tasks and forget other life problems. In the beginning, you may feel the excitement, joy, pleasure, pride, and other positive emotions. However, if work becomes your “drug of choice,” with time, you will experience less of these pleasurable experiences and more of an inner compulsion to work. It means that you will feel like something inside you is forcing you to do it, and when you try to resist that, rest or decrease the amount of work, you discover that you cannot do it, and you may suffer withdrawal symptoms. For example, you may feel anxious, restless, irritable, depressed, and fatigued; you may experience headaches, muscle aches, sleep problems, or flu-like symptoms on the weekends or during holidays when you do not work.

The bottom line

Work engagement and work addiction may seem similar on the surface, but they are clearly different. Being engaged in your work is positive and healthy, especially when it is meaningful to you. However, if you start to depend too much on the positive feelings that work brings you, and you will use work to get away from other life problems and negative emotions, you may transition into work addiction.

General view of your WORK-RELATED HEALTH AND FUNCTIONING

Having meaning at work and a sense of occupational self-efficacy is healthy and productive and is associated with high job satisfaction. High identification with your organization and high work centrality may positively impact your job satisfaction and performance. All these may contribute to higher work engagement.

However, trying to find meaning in life only through your work, extreme identification with your organization, and extreme work centrality may lead to a disturbed work-life balance. When you start depending on your work to regulate your mood, you may transition from healthy work engagement to work addiction. Consequently, it may lead to excessive pressure and job stress, resulting in burnout, impaired performance, and decreased sense of professional self-efficacy and job satisfaction. Also, your health, well-being, and social functioning will suffer.

The bottom line

It needs to be emphasized: it is better to prevent than cure! Treatment of full-blown work addiction syndrome may be more difficult than preventing work addiction. Recovery from burnout may take years and can be challenging due to associated health problems. Sometimes life circumstances may require hard work from you. In other situations, your beliefs and values may cause you to put excessive time and effort into your work. Adjusting your priorities and shifting your attention and effort from only work to other areas in your life may save you and your loved ones suffering and trouble.

However, even this is easier said than done. Soul searching and seeking professional help may help you reevaluate your attitude toward work and life. Developing a more balanced lifestyle may prevent work addiction, burnout, and their consequences and improve your well-being, health, happiness, and satisfaction with life. Patience and self-compassion will help you to go through this challenge.

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIAL SUPPORT

Factors related to the work environment can be divided into job demands and job resources.

Job demands

Job demands include, e.g., high work pressure, emotional demands, and role conflict and role ambiguity. These may lead to sleeping problems, exhaustion, and impaired health.

Job resources

The most important job resources include social support from supervisors and colleagues and a proper motivational climate. These may lead to job-related learning, work engagement, and organizational commitment.

The role of environmental factors in work and general functioning

Environmental factors play an important role in general health as well as in addiction, including work addiction. Among the most important factors related to health and well-being is social support at work and outside work. Other crucial factors contributing to high work stress and, consequently, to mental and physical health are job demands (including physical, cognitive, emotional, and time pressures), and the motivational climate at work. High competitiveness and high-pressure work environments are known to create a lot of stress and strain and may contribute to health problems. On the other hand, supportive work environments focused on employees’ development and well-being tend to foster greater productivity and health. In general, social support is related to lower work-related stress. It reduces work stress by reducing the strains experienced, mitigating perceived stressors, and regulating the stressor–strain relationship.

Its meaning for WORK ADDICTION

Certain work environments may increase your risk of work addiction. High demands, low support, and resources at work, the hectic workaholic environment may trigger work addiction in vulnerable individuals, especially those who are perfectionistic and need to avoid any mistakes, even the most minor ones, at all costs. Different factors may affect it. Sometimes your sense of duty to your coworkers or recipients of your work may drive you to work beyond your capabilities and limits. On the other hand, you may work exceedingly hard in fear of your boss and the loss of your job. It may take a toll on your health and trigger a pattern of compulsive overworking.

Unfavorable circumstances are known to cause addictive behaviors of all sorts. During the Vietnam war, a large portion of US soldiers was addicted to heroin. Most of them recovered immediately after coming back from war. In a way, a highly stressful environment forced them into addiction. Similarly, a highly stressful work environment may cause different addictions, including work addiction. For example, problems with alcohol abuse among physicians are well-documented in the medical literature. Medical doctors use alcohol and other substances to deal with extreme stress and responsibility related to their work.

Increasing time spent on working or thinking about work may be your way to deal with overwhelming demands and stress in your work. You want to do your best. It seems a reasonable and effective method: to face all the problems and analyze them. However, such an approach may result in developing a compulsion to work. With time it may become more and more difficult for you to disengage from work and relax. You may even develop typical withdrawal symptoms when you try to rest from work.

The bottom line

Work environment is crucial for health, which is currently a well-recognized fact by World Health Organization. Different solutions could be provided to ensure such an environment or deal with its consequences. Here you will find your feedback on some of the most important factors that may be contributing to the stress you experience at work and, in consequence, to your work addiction risk as well as risks for other health problems.

The motivational climate at work

What is it?

Each organization and workplace has its own work climate based on certain values and goals. Two important dimensions related to how an organization motivates its employees are the level of competitiveness it promotes and encourages and the level of focus on the personal development of its employees.

Its meaning for work and general functioning

People differ in their level of competitiveness. Some are more rivalry-oriented, and others are less. While competitive work environments are stressful to everyone, they may affect some people more negatively than others. Competitiveness is related to the so-called Type A Personality (TAP), and this particular component of TAP is related to higher cardiovascular risk among women. So even competitive people may suffer health consequences from the high stress related to their disposition. However, a competitive environment is likely even more stressful and unhealthy for those who are not competitive and do not value competitiveness.

On the other hand, organizations focused on personal development tend to provide more supportive work environments and decrease job stress.

Its meaning for WORK ADDICTION

Work addiction is consistently related to Type A Personality and its competitiveness component. Managers addicted to work may create a workaholic and competitive environment at work. This may negatively affect employees on different levels, increasing work demands, stress, and risk of work addiction.

Work addiction is related to high job demands and low resources, such as low control over work. The motivational climate that promotes competitiveness may push employees to extreme efforts. At the same time, it may limit resources such as social support from colleagues, decrease control over work, and consequently increase the risk of work addiction.

On the other hand, the motivational climate that encourages and supports the personal development of its employees may decrease the risk of work addiction because it addresses their basic needs.

The bottom line

Work addiction is related to high job demands and low resources, particularly social support at work. The motivational climate of an organization that promotes competition will likely increase the risk of work addiction among its employees as it raises opportunities to experience stress, prevents social support related to cooperation, and encourages extreme work effort. On the other hand, a supportive motivational climate that encourages personal development may decrease stress levels and shift focus from personal achievement to collaboration. It will further promote social support, a crucial resource in dealing with stress.

Job demands

What is it?

Job demands include cognitive, emotional, and workload demands.

Cognitive demands include a need to control and remember a lot of things.

Emotional demands include dealing with other people’s emotional problems and emotionally disturbing situations.

Time pressure is related to the need to work very fast constantly. Excessive workload means you are always behind schedule and racing with time.

Its meaning for work and general functioning

Excessive job demands lead to a wide range of negative consequences for your productivity and health, including sleeping problems, exhaustion, and mental and physical health problems.

Its meaning for WORK ADDICTION

Work addiction is related to high job demands. In fact, more and more studies investigate and confirm different ways in which job demands may increase work addiction and consequently affect health, including clinical depression.

The bottom line

Properly managing and reducing job demands may decrease the risk of work addiction and other health problems and improve productivity.

Perceived organizational support

What is it?

Perceived organizational support (POS) concerns your beliefs about the extent to which the organization values your contribution and cares about your well-being.

Its meaning for work and general functioning

POS has a strong positive impact on employee engagement, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment, and a moderate impact on organizational citizenship behavior, turnover intentions, as well as employee performance. POS may help release work-family conflict and improve life satisfaction. POS is largely influenced by justice, growth opportunities, supervisor support, and coworker support.

Its meaning for WORK ADDICTION

Work addiction is negatively related to organizational support, particularly coworkers’ support. Addictions develop as a means of coping with stress when other effective solutions are unavailable to a person for different reasons. Lack of support within the organization may put some people at risk of work addiction. Accordingly, developing healthy organizational culture and support, promoting justice, providing growth opportunities, and support from supervisor and colleagues may decrease the risks of work addiction among employees.

The bottom line

POS positively impacts numerous work-related attitudes and behaviors that promote satisfying and productive work and may decrease work addiction risk. Organizational culture improving POS should be a priority in any workplace.

Supervisor support on work-related issues

What is it?

Perceived supervisor support is defined as employees’ general views concerning the degree to which supervisors value their contributions and care about their well-being. Supervisors act as agents of the organization. They are responsible for directing and evaluating employees’ performance. Because of that, the supervisor’s orientation toward an employee is perceived as the organization’s support.

Its meaning for work and general functioning

Supervisors’ support at work is an important resource helping to be productive and well-functioning. Lack of such support is related to a wide range of negative consequences, including diminished productivity and mental and physical health problems, including burnout.

Its meaning for WORK ADDICTION

Managers and leaders in organizations play an important role when it comes to work addiction risk. Managers are at higher risk of work addiction themselves. A review of studies concluded that work-addicted managers may cause significant harm to themselves, other employees, organizations, and recipients of their work. It includes potential indirect effects through creating an environment conducive to work addiction and its consequences among employees. Diminished support from supervisors and high demands may contribute to higher work addiction risk among employees. However, more research is needed because some studies found a positive relationship between supervisor support and work addiction. It is likely that in some cases, a feeling of identification with the job and a positive relationship with the supervisor may increase work engagement, leading to work addiction when other risk factors are present.

The bottom line

Support from supervisors may reduce or increase the risk of work addiction of their employees depending on the type of support and other risk factors. Lack of support and high demands from managers and leaders may increase stress, create a workaholic environment at work, and lead to burnout.

Work colleagues support on work-related issues

What is it?

Perceived colleagues support is defined as employees’ general views concerning the degree to which their colleagues at work value their contributions and care about their well-being.

Its meaning for work and general functioning

Work colleagues’ support at work is another important resource helping to be productive and well functioning. Employees and supervisors create a community. The ongoing relationships you have with other people on the job will determine the quality of life in that community. Lack of support and trust within this community, and unresolved conflict, will increase the risk of your burnout. On the other hand, when job-related relationships are satisfying and supportive, employees have effective means of working out disagreements, then they are more likely to experience job engagement, and the risk of burnout will be reduced.

Its meaning for WORK ADDICTION

Similarly, an unsupportive workaholic environment increases job stress and may trigger and sustain work addiction among employees, especially if you are encouraged to compete instead of collaborating with your colleagues at work.

The bottom line

Lack of support from colleagues, conflict at work, and limited means of working out disagreements may increase stress and create a workaholic environment, leading to work addiction and burnout.

Family and friends support on work-related issues

What is it?

Social support is recognized by World Health Organization as a fundamental factor in human health. It is strictly related to effective stress coping. From improving sleep quality to reducing inflammatory processes in the human body, social support enhances overall functioning and health.

Its meaning for work and general functioning

Yet another source of social support that helps deal with stress experienced at work is family and friends. The ability to talk and obtain emotional and practical support from close people may counteract the negative effects of work stress and buffer against mental and physical health problems.

Its meaning for WORK ADDICTION

Work addiction is related to work-life conflict, marital disaffection, and low family satisfaction and functioning. Individuals addicted to work have limited social support from family and friends, and their functioning in social relationships is often another source of stress in life.

The bottom line

Healthy and supportive relationships with family and friends are fundamental to mental and physical health. They may help deal with stress at work and reduce the risk of work addiction and burnout.

Numerous factors may affect our ability to enjoy and benefit from social interactions, including social anxiety, limited social skills, distrust towards others etc. Addressing these problems, including developing social skills that help establish and maintain healthy relationships with others, may reduce work addiction risk and improve overall functioning and health among people who struggle in this domain.

Workaholic supervisor

What is it?

In the survey, we asked you about your perceptions of your supervisor, including whether you notice work addiction symptoms in their behavior. In the feedback, you have obtained information about the risk of your supervisor’s work addiction based on your observations of their behavior.

Its meaning for work and general functioning

Managers have a higher risk of work addiction and may affect their employees negatively on different levels. Work-addicted individuals are more stressed, and the stress of your boss may increase your stress. It is called the spillover effect. It refers to the tendency of one person’s emotion to affect how other people around them feel. For example, sleep problems of your boss may cause you to have sleep problems. If your supervisor did not have a good night’s sleep, his abusive behaviors may increase the next day, causing you to feel stressed and to have a bad sleep.

Workaholic managers may impose more workload on their employees, expect to meet unrealistic deadlines and standards of perfection, and not respond to the emotional needs of their coworkers. They may also disturb the work-life balance of their employees.

This spillover from managers to employees may further transfer to the family functioning of employees. Negative work experiences may affect family and intimate partners. For example, work addiction negatively affects family functioning, and parents’ work addiction may affect their children’s emotional and behavioral problems .

Its meaning for WORK ADDICTION

The more symptoms of work addiction you perceive in your immediate supervisor, the higher the risk that you will be addicted to work yourself. This is because your supervisor may create a workaholic climate at work, increase employee stress levels, and provide limited support.

The bottom line

A work-addicted supervisor may be a major source of stress to the employees, affecting their physical and mental health, increasing the risk of work addiction of employees, as well as having negative effects on their productivity. Furthermore, these adverse effects may further spill over and affect employees’ family lives. The negative consequences of work addiction are not limited to the person affected.

Workaholic work environment

What is it?

In the survey, we asked you about your perceptions of your colleagues at work, including whether you notice work addiction symptoms in their behavior. In the feedback, you have obtained information about the risk of your colleagues work addiction based on your observations of their behavior.

Its meaning for work and general functioning

Work environment and organizational culture have important effects on the functioning of employees, including their job satisfaction and mental health.

Its meaning for WORK ADDICTION

Organizational culture has an important effect on employees’ work addiction.

An initial study showed if you perceive that your work colleagues show higher levels of work addiction symptoms, then you will show more work addiction symptoms yourself. In fact, the number of colleagues at work who you perceive as addicted to work may be a little bit more important than your perception of the work addiction of your boss. Nevertheless, more research is needed on this issue, and the current study aims to evaluate the workaholic environment’s role in work addiction more precisely.

The bottom line

The more people around you at work are addicted to work, the higher risk that you also be addicted. Workaholic environment and organizational culture that supports it may increase work addiction risk and its consequences, such as burnout.

INDIVIDUAL FACTORS/ PERSONALITY

Individual factors play an important role in general health as well as in addiction, including work addiction. Certain personality traits such as emotional stability, perfectionism, and self-esteem are among the most significant factors related to health and well-being. Specific personality characteristics may predispose some people to work addiction, such as narcissism and intolerance of uncertainty. Research into individual risk factors of work addiction is dynamically developing, and we are gradually gaining more knowledge on how personality and early life experiences may increase your risk.

Emotional stability

What is it?

Emotional instability is known as neuroticism. It is a tendency to experience negative emotions, particularly anxiety, experience frequently changing emotions, and being tense and withdrawn.

Its meaning for work and general functioning

Neuroticism is linked to worse general health.

It is also linked to difficulties in detaching from work, which may decrease the ability to recover from work and lead to a host of negative consequences, such as higher exhaustion, worse mental and physical health, and decreased job performance.

It is negatively related to marital satisfaction, occupational success, and overall quality of life.

Its meaning for WORK ADDICTION

Neuroticism is consistently linked to work addiction. Work may be a way to cope with negative emotions. It provides you with a mental focus on tasks, allows you to forget about other problems in life, and may give you an adrenaline rush that makes you energized. However, growing dependence on these feelings derived from work may increase your risk of work addiction. Absorption is a positive component of work engagement and refers to being fully concentrated and happily engrossed in one’s work, whereby time passes quickly, and one has difficulties detaching oneself from work. However, if you have other risk factors for work addiction, such as high neuroticism, absorption may be associated with your tendency to regulate your feelings with work. This, in turn, may increase work addiction risk.

The bottom line

Work can be a means of dealing with negative emotions. A tendency to experience negative emotions may increase your likelihood of using work habitually to improve your mood, thus increasing your risk of work addiction. Healthy coping skills and effective mood regulation habits may decrease work addiction risk. Mindfulness constitutes one such effective practice to improve emotional regulation.

Perfectionism

What is it?

Perfectionism can be divided into two components. First are high personal standards, which is a positive trait. We should aim for high goals and standards and work for them diligently and mindfully of details.

However, this may sometimes become a problematic emotional and behavioral pattern related to the second component, the perfectionistic concerns. These are related to how you react when something is not done perfectly. They are considered dysfunctional aspects of perfectionism and are associated with strong negative responses to the lack of excellent results.

Its meaning for work and general functioning

High standards are a positive trait related to positive phenomena such as better work performance. It is closely associated with conscientiousness which is a personality trait associated with the tendency to be organized, responsible, and hardworking. It is consistently related to good health and lower mortality.

On the other hand, perfectionistic concerns are consistently linked to worse health. It is either a risk factor or a symptom of various psychopathological problems, including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and addictions. This component is sometimes called neurotic perfectionism because it is closely related to neuroticism. If you have high standards and, at the same time, you have a tendency to experience negative emotions, you may be more likely to have stronger negative reactions when you make mistakes, or you do not reach the level of perfection you would desire.

Its meaning for WORK ADDICTION

Perfectionism, particularly its dysfunctional form, is consistently related to work addiction. In fact, workaholism is currently officially recognized in medical classification (DSM-5; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) as a symptom of obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) , a type of personality disorder associated with rigid perfectionism and a high need for control. This need for perfectionism interferes with efficiency and the ability to complete tasks. It is typically accompanied by:

• an excessive obsession with rules, lists, schedules, and order;

• a devotion to productivity that hinders interpersonal relationships and leisure time;

• rigidity and zealousness on matters of morality and ethics;

• an inability to delegate responsibilities or work to others;

• restricted functioning in interpersonal relationships;

• restricted expression of emotion and affect;

• and a need for control over one’s environment and self.

In the survey, you obtained feedback on your perfectionistic concerns. These represent a dysfunctional aspect of perfectionism. If you have a high score, you tend to react negatively and strongly to any mistakes or whenever your standards of perfection are not met. It may negatively affect your functioning. However, it does not mean that you have a mental health problem. Still, if you are worried that you may suffer from OCPD, please get in touch with a professional for further consultation and diagnosis.

The bottom line

Rigid perfectionism is related to worse health and is closely associated with work addiction. Addressing your perfectionistic concerns may improve your overall functioning and decrease work addiction risk. Some specific interventions and programs help to work with excessive perfectionism.

Narcissism

What is it?

Narcissism is related to an inflated sense of your own importance, a deep need for excessive attention and admiration, troubled relationships, and a lack of empathy for others. It is a complex personality trait that, in its extreme form, may express itself as a narcissistic personality disorder.

Its meaning for work and general functioning

It affects the functioning of organizations, especially owing to the narcissism of managers and leaders. However, due to its complexity, some of the research results may be inconsistent and confusing, particularly regarding its effects on the work environment. On the other hand, other findings are coherent and reliable. For example, because narcissistic individuals are easy to offend, it is a risk factor for aggression and violence, and this may translate into abusive behaviors at work.

Its meaning for WORK ADDICTION

Previous studies found a positive association between narcissism and work addiction. Work may be a way to fulfill your need for attention and admiration and inflate your sense of self-importance. This may be particularly true for managers and leaders. It may lead to excessive involvement in work in search of validation and achievement, which may develop into addiction. However, more studies still need to be conducted to understand how narcissism may affect work addiction fully.

In our survey, we used a very short measure of narcissism. If you want more accurate and detailed information on your narcissism, including its different components, you can fill in more diagnostic questionnaires such as this one [you will be directed to an online test after clicking here] .

The bottom line

Narcissism may lead to adverse effects in the workplace, such as abusive behaviors. It can also be a risk factor for work addiction. For some individuals, work may be a way to fulfill their need for attention and admiration and inflate their sense of self-importance. It may lead to excessive concentration on validation and achievements derived from work.

Global self-esteem

What is it?

Self-esteem is a belief and confidence in your own ability and value.

Its meaning for work and general functioning

Low self-esteem is either a risk factor or a symptom of a host of mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and addictions. Having low self-esteem may lead to various mental health problems, such as depression. On the other hand, health issues may negatively affect your self-confidence and lead to devaluing yourself.

Its meaning for WORK ADDICTION

Work addiction was found to be related to lower global self-esteem. If you feel inferior to others, you may try to compensate for it by working harder and longer hours. You may strive to improve your self-image through achievements and validations derived from work. This may increase your risk of work addiction.

In our survey, we used a very short measure of global self-esteem. If you want more accurate and detailed information on your self-esteem, you can fill in more diagnostic questionnaires such as this one [you will be directed to an online test after clicking here].

The bottom line

Low self-esteem is related to mental health problems and may be a risk factor for work addiction. For some individuals, work may be a way to compensate for their feelings of inferiority and to find validation of their worth. It may lead to excessive concentration on work and related achievements.

Intolerance of uncertainty

What is it?

Intolerance of uncertainty is a characteristic that involves the tendency to react negatively on an emotional, cognitive, and behavioral level to uncertain situations and events. If you have negative beliefs about uncertainty and its implications, then you may react negatively to situations in which outcomes are uncertain.

Its meaning for work and general functioning

It is an established transdiagnostic risk and maintaining factor for mental disorders, particularly emotional disorders. It means that intolerance of uncertainty is related to many disorders, such as depressive disorders and anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety disorder (SAD), agoraphobia, or panic disorder, as well as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and eating disorders. It was found to be a causal factor in anxiety and negative mood. Most of these disorders were previously found to be associated with work addiction.

Its meaning for WORK ADDICTION

In some cases, work addiction seems to result from efforts to deal with uncertainty. There is a close association between workaholism and obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD), which is related to a strong need for control and removal of any uncertainty. You may work hard to assure your livelihood, provide for your family, and have your life under “full control.” While doing your best to face life’s challenges productively is a recommended approach, the extreme need to have everything under control and remove uncertainty altogether from your life may result in unnecessary stress and mental health problems. Uncertainty is an unavoidable part of life, and there are adaptive and healthy ways to face and deal with it.

In recent years there has been a growing interest and research in mindfulness, which may be a very effective way to develop mental skills that help to improve uncertainty tolerance and reduce uncertainty-related stress and anxiety.

The bottom line

Intolerance of uncertainty is a well-established factor in mental health problems and may be a risk factor for work addiction. For some individuals, work may be a way to gain full control over their life. However, this is illusory and may lead to compulsive dependence on work as a source of stability and predictability. It may further aggravate mental health problems and other difficulties in life, such as troubled personal relationships. Mindfulness is a healthy and effective practice that helps to improve uncertainty tolerance, and reduce stress and anxiety.

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