I’ve never actually thought of work as an addiction but after looking at Professor Mark Griffith’s list of characteristics associated with addiction I’m surprised I never thought about it in those terms before.

I have worked with a lot of people over the years people who have exhibited some or all of those characteristics but I would say those who were true work addicts were in the minority. I only know of two personally who’s behaviour had serious negative affects on their personal and professional relationships.

Like Peter my wife has in the past accused me of being a workaholic but I was like many others in that I knew there would be a payoff at some point for being flexible, adaptable, enthusiastic, motivated and being there when needed. This was indeed the culture in my own organisation and those my friends worked in. The maxim was “put in the time and effort and make a difference and you’ll be rewarded”. So we did and we were rewarded.

I often wondered at the time why I was doing this and why others, especially some of those in my current age group seemed to get through without putting in the time and effort I was. The boot is now on the other foot and I’ve realised that knowledge, education and a confidence in your own skills and abilities can significantly reduce the excess time you need to put in, whilst maintaining effective performance levels.

Of course the biggest factor is I have reached a place where I am happy and my skills are used effectively. So there’s no need for me to be a workaholic as there’s now no pay off.

Many off my colleagues are still on career paths and building or defending empires, skills, knowledge and networks and so for a period of time, which can be years they work excessively. For some this becomes a repeated pattern as they pass through their careers as they have learned this behaviour works.

My organisation like many others has many policies on health and wellbeing and work life balance. There’s a very good employee assistance programme and training available to all on managing workload, self, stress and a plethora off other things that are useful skills for life. The organisation actively discourages excessive working.

But many people especially at managerial level still work long hours and send texts, emails and reports at all hours of the day and night. This is probably due to a number of factors including previously learned behaviour, technology, the current economic climate and job insecurity. Twenty four seven access to technology certainly aids in excessive working and this is where the organisation unwittingly supports excessive and addictive working. I would say some people in my organisation work excessively but I do not know of any addictive workaholics. When I speak to colleagues in other public and private organisations their experiences are similar.

Professor Griffiths poses the question “Should I care if people in my organisation are addictive workaholics”? The answer for me has to be yes. I can see in the short term how putting more time and effort in can be a help and on occasion is needed but in the longer term it is destructive if addictive behaviours surface. This will demotivate those around that person, cause presenteeism, low morale and loss of performance. Staff may leave because of the culture and management time may be taken up with bullying and harassment claims. That’s just the negatives in the workplace.

It is understandable that people will exhibit excessive working tendencies whilst on an upward career path and when their job is potentially at risk. Thankfully most won’t fall into the addictive workaholic mould.

I have two questions 1. does the ease of access to work through the use of technology increase the risk of more people working excessively or becoming addictive workaholics? 2. If it does are organisations unwittingly supporting an excessive working culture or are they just turning a blind eye to it?
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The term workaholic generally implies that the person enjoys their work, however, real workaholics are frequently unproductive employees that feel compelled to work sacrificing their health and family for their jobs mask anxiety, low self-esteem, as with addictions to alcohol, drugs or gambling.
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I would have to agree with Thomas that the use of technology appears to have both increased people being addicted to constant communication and to have reduced the quality of time management in a lot of ways because it provides so many top quality excuses for not actually getting down to the work that really needs doing - surfing, checking email, responding to the next 'urgent' issue etc. We all do it, and I don't think organisations know yet how to corral it and get it working. There's no doubting the tremendous benefits of the technological leaps but it doesn't half increase the need for strong self-discipline.

I also think that many people are let's call it 'over working' for a few reasons:

- It's giving them a false sense of superficial security that their jobs must be safe because they are busy.
- Technology is making people 'busy' because they are flitting about so much that efficiency is considerably impaired.
- There's real comfort in the flexibility that using technology gives us in behaviour - there are no proper rules yet so you can turn your back on someone or walk away if the phone rings or you are online. Do things that you wouldn't do in normal face-to-face situations.

And, there's probably more. Unfortunately, this doesn't make people more effective at what they are doing and you see that in public with people driving while talking on mobiles, using mobile technology and ignoring children/others in their way - all sorts of what's probably considered multi-tasking which is taking away from concentration and focus.

Not sure how we persuade people that there is a happy medium, and everything in its place...

Some friends and I marvelled at the weekend in a restaurant at a group of people texting each other across the table instead of talking so they weren't actually looking at each other or eating their meal uninterrupted! A bit scary for the future of interpersonal interaction!
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