3 Differences Between an Engaged Employee and a Workaholic
by Sueños on 01/12/17
Work is Enjoyable Not Compulsory
In another paper by Malissa A. Clark, published in The Journal of Management, she notes that workaholism "involves a preoccupation and compulsion regarding one’s work." Because of this, she further notes, some think of it as an obsessive-compulsive disorder, as the behavior, working, is elicited in response to anxious and repetitive thoughts. Work engagement, on the other hand, "is a positive, fulfilling, work-related state of mind that is characterized by vigor, dedication, and absorption," according to Dr. Maša Tonkovi? Grabovac's study on work engagement of dual-working couples. She also notes that,"Work engaged individuals not only function better at work, but also transfer these benefits to home." In essence the experience of working is overall enriching to the person's life.
An Engaged Employee is Self-Regulating
Given the above information, it's no wonder that an absorbed employee uses their time well. In astudy by the Centre for Health Systems and Safety Research, it was found that employees who ranked higher on measures of employee engagement also ranked higher on measures of effective time management. When the same test was given to a group of full-time employees in Australia and managers in the U.S. in a study by Sandy Jackson, those who exhibited signs of workaholism (lower enjoyment of job, compulsory attitudes towards work, etc.) scored lower on the measures that were positively associated with effective time management.
Engaged Employees Enjoy Their Time Off
As cited above in Dr. Grabovac's study, engaged employees often saw the benefits of rewarding work spill into other avenues of their life. This compounded in a study by Lieke L.ten Brummelhuis, and Arnold B. Bakker who found that evening, low-energy. leisurely activities increased vigor in next day performance. Meanwhile, in a meta-analysis conducted by Malissa Clark et al. on workaholism's lasting effects, she found that it often led to work-life conflict as well as a decrease in mental and physical health.
So, what we come back to is that in an engaged employee, work is a source of pleasure, while in a workaholic it feels like a penance. It is important for any management staff to effectively engage their employees, rather than create an environment that fosters workaholism. This not only reduces burnout, but also serves as an overall benefit for any business.
This is a guest blog by one of our coaches Diego Andreas. If you like what you read, check out his blog. www.wonderingintomyself.com
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