Investing in your work: a fine balance between dedication and burnout

In 5 seconds According to a study by Marie-Colombe Afota, how people see themselves plays an important role in their intense—and sometimes toxic—approach to work.

How do workaholics' self-image influence their degree of dedication to their job? And how does that impact their mental health?

To find out, Marie-Colombe Afota, a professor in Université de Montréal’s School of Industrial Relations, teamed up with colleagues in Montreal and France to study 544 graduates of a French business school over an eight-month period.

The findings of the three professors - Afota, Christian Vandenberghe of HEC Montréal, and Véronique Robert of Université Toulouse Capitole, in France - were recently published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology.

The study was conducted against a backdrop of rising digitalization in society and a surge in remote working arrangements during the COVID-19 pandemic, which have significantly altered people's relationship to their jobs.

“With the spread of smartphones and email, the boundaries between personal and professional life have eroded over the past 15 years, and for many people, this has translated into an increase in working hours,” Afota said.

"When the pandemic broke out, many thought remote work would reverse the trend. However, the opposite has happened: many teleworkers feel obligated to be available and responsive at all times to show they are productive and committed to the job.”

Three types of investment in work

Marie-Colombe Afota

The study distinguishes three types of heavy investment in work: toxic over-investment (or workaholism), work engagement and affective organizational commitment.

Workaholism is defined as addiction to work, characterized by “constant internal pressure and obsessive thoughts focused on work-related tasks,” whereas work engagement is a positive state of mind associated with vigour, enthusiasm and concentration. Lastly, affective organizational commitment refers to an emotional attachment to the organization itself.

The study found a connection between these types of investment in work and workers' self-concept. “In our research, a tendency to define oneself in terms of a collective self—in other words, in terms of membership in a social group—was a predictor of all three forms of heavy investment in work,” Afota said.

By contrast, an individualistic self-concept correlated only with workaholism.

“Workaholism is mainly motivated by darker, less positive goals, such as the need to prove one’s worth, both to oneself and to others,” Afota said. “The problem is, it never ends, and ultimately becomes destructive.”

The results of the study show that the different types of heavy investment in work have contrasting effects.

“Workaholism has only negative effects,” said Afota. “The data show that it leads to an increase in the number of hours worked, work overload and a risk of depression and emotional burnout.”

On the other hand, work engagement is not associated with work overload and protects against depression and burnout.

“This finding challenges the conventional wisdom that organizations benefit from employing people who work long hours,” Afota noted. “In fact, it’s not necessarily a good sign.”

There was no statistically significant correlation between affective organizational commitment and the mental-health indicators used in the study.

14 per cent are workaholics

By some estimates, approximately 14 per cent of workers are workaholics. The distinction between a healthy investment in work and over-investment is therefore becoming an important public health issue.

“In a work landscape where the boundary between personal and professional life is increasingly porous, our results call for a rethink of management practices that value digital presenteeism and long working hours,” Afota said.

In her view, organizations are mistaken to believe that it’s to their advantage for employees to be always working or always available.

“The challenge is particularly acute for professionals whose duties are broad and difficult to measure,” she said. “Employers measure quantity, the amount of time spent working, but it’s a cognitive shortcut to conclude that if a person works a lot, they’re competent.”

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

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

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