How to distinguish healthy work engagement from workaholism

Modern technology, telecommuting and constant accessibility have blurred the lines between personal life and work. Many people are spending more time in front of a screen, feeling obliged to be "on call" and prove their productivity. But what does this threaten in the long run?

Details: Marie-Colombe Afota et al, Workaholism, work engagement, and affective commitment: relationships to self-concept levels and work outcomes, Frontiers in Psychology (2025). DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1434482

Researchers from the University of Montreal, HEC Montréal and the University of Toulouse investigated how a person's self-concept affects their attitude to work and mental health. They followed 544 French business school graduates for eight months and identified three types of 'work attachment': workaholism, work engagement and emotional attachment to the company.

Workaholism is not just a lot of work. It is a state in which a person feels internal pressure, thinks obsessively about work tasks and cannot "switch off".
Involvement in work is a positive state in which a person is enthusiastic and concentrated in doing his or her work.
Emotional attachment to the organisation means that the employee genuinely feels part of the company and wants to stay in it.

Interestingly, people who define themselves through belonging to a group (such as a team or a shared mission) are more likely to demonstrate all three types of engagement. Individualists, on the other hand, are more prone to workaholism - not because they love their work, but out of a desire to prove their worth to themselves and others.

The problem is that workaholism does not end. It becomes an end in itself and leads to emotional exhaustion," explains study author Marie-Colomb Afota.

The data shows: workaholics are more likely to suffer from fatigue, overwork and depression. On the contrary, engagement in work without obsession helps to avoid burnout and even increases overall psychological well-being.

The authors emphasise: it is important to distinguish between quantity and quality. Working a lot does not always mean working well. Particularly dangerous is the "always be available" attitude that has taken root in many organisations with the development of digital technologies.

According to various estimates, around 14% of employees are workaholics. With personal and working lives merging, this is becoming a serious social problem.

The authors of the study urge employers to pay attention not only to KPIs, but also to employee health.

Organisations should not encourage continuous employment, but rather develop a culture that values a reasonable balance," says Afota.

Managers should learn to recognise the signs of workaholism and encourage positive engagement - the kind that energises rather than drains. After all, the art of staying committed without losing yourself is more important than ever.