Dr. Clark wrote a science brief for the APA Psychological Science Agenda, a monthly e-newsletter of the APA Science Directorate, discussing her workaholism research . Click here to access the article and read about how Dr. Clark has expanded our understanding of workaholism!
By Jessica Keever
Society dictates that a working woman not only must perform highly at work but also maintain her obligation to her family. These identities - working woman and mother - are not mutually exclusive. Instead, these identities affect one another in a unique way that can influence the way women workaholics interpret their workplace commitment. In other words, the way we have measured workaholism in the past, may not be taking the entire picture into account, especially when it comes to the experience of women. By Selin Odman
In a work-place culture dominated by stress, anxiety, and the need for high-performance, more and more researchers have taken it upon themselves to study Work-Family Conflict (WFC). WFC occurs when the responsibilities of one’s job or career starts to interfere with the quality of other aspects of their lives, in this case, their family life. Many businesses are interested in implementing stress coping strategies to help their employees deal with the demands of their jobs. Although there is past research outlying effective stress-coping strategies for WFC, these strategies may be too cookie-cutter to apply to every type of employee. By Roja Goverdhana
Hard-working employees who have their company’s best interest in mind is definitely beneficial to organizations, but is it necessarily beneficial for the employee’s work and home life? And where can we draw the line between a hard-working employee and one who is overworking to the point of addiction? This study, performed by Dr. Malissa Clark, the director of the WAFER lab, focuses on the relationship between workaholism, work engagement, work-home conflicts, and work-home enrichment. Also included in this research are specific positive and negative emotions and how they relate to these behaviors and situations. By Dillon Patel
In recent times, the concept of being a workaholic has become increasingly understood and researched. The highly competitive pace of life has made workaholism a subject of profound interest. Consequently, the effects of this sort of behavior have been well documented and generally understood to pose negative effects on the individual’s ability to compartmentalize and lead a satisfactory life. Though there is notable research on the effects of workaholism, the characteristics and attributes that are indicative of this sort of behavior have yet to be understood. Researchers have established that workaholism is more prevalent in individuals experiencing behavior that is repeatedly reinforced, individuals that have social and cultural experiences that lend themselves to a life of workaholism or, most intriguingly, have personality traits that represent a predisposition to becoming a workaholic. By Laura Provolt and Amanda Moeller
The ideal employee comes in early, stays late, and goes above and beyond in their work. It is generally accepted that this is how to get ahead in your career, and employers are willing to reward employees who will devote substantial energy to their work. However, the behaviors associated with long work hours and excessive work investment may not yield the best results – for the company or the employee. By Melissa Mitchell
|