Investing in and recovering from work: effects on employees’ health through workaholism and work engagement

Abstract

Purpose: Workaholism and work engagement are two forms of heavy work investment, involving different consequences on employees’ life. Nevertheless, research has highlighted an overlapping zone between workaholism and work engagement, due to confounding findings about their relation and features they seem to have in common. Recovery––the process that allows employees to replenish individual resources after an effort––could be a critical construct in order to distinguish workaholic and engaged workers. This study aims therefore to consider the capacity to recover as influencing variable on workaholism and work engagement, respectively, and, further, it aims to observe what they, in turn, entail on perceived health. Design/Methodology: This study is based on a cross-sectional design. 265 employees filled in an online questionnaire assessing recovery, workaholism, work engagement, and general health. Data were analyzed through structural equation modeling method. Results: Recovery significantly and negatively predicts workaholism, but it shows no relation with work engagement. Workaholism and work engagement significantly predict individual perceived health in negative and positive direction, respectively. Limitations: The conclusions advanced are limited by the use of self-report measures, cross- sectional design, and a rather small sample size. Practical Implications: HR managers should pay attention to organizational practices protecting employees’ recovery from efforts made at work, since it can prevent health impairments caused by extreme, workaholic approaches to work. Originality/Value: The current study investigates recovery by considering its possible influence simultaneously on workaholism and work engagement.