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The goals of the current comparative and half-exploratory paper are to: 1) shed light on the properties of the relatively “new” construct, Heavy-Work Investment (HWI) and its two dimensions – Time Commitment and Work Intensity, (2) assess differences across 9 countries in relation to HWI, (3) gauge the effect of demographical parameters on HWI, and (4) investigate the interaction between them and COVID-19’s pandemic (i.e., before COVID-19, and during the COVID-19 pandemic). Data of 3,418 employees were collected from 9 different countries: Israel, Romania, Japan, USA, Pakistan, Italy, Turkey, Brazil, and Germany. Among other findings, analyses revealed that HWI construct is stable across countries and that the mean investment at work (in the form of both time and efforts) is higher during the COVID-19’s pandemic than before it. Discussion section summarizes the findings of the entire research, and elaborates on limitations and future research suggestions.

Heavy work investment in various domains of activity has not been sufficiently explored. This paper investigates how accounting professionals in Romania perceived different aspects related to the heavy work investment during the coronavirus pandemic. Professional accountants devote, by the nature of their job, many hours of work. In March 2020, unprecedented measures were taken in Romania in the context of the coronavirus pandemic. These include the obligation to work remotely where possible. The study' objective is to establish the socio-economic implications generated by the COVID-19 pandemic vis-à-vis accounting professionals and the activities of the financial-accounting department within the organizations during the affected period. The data were collected between April and June 2020 by distributing a questionnaire online and were processed using the SPSS software. The research results show that professional accountants have adapted quite quickly to distance work. Work during the pandemic generated additional stress and fatigue, but had positive influence on the work-family relationship and productivity. The research results show that the respondents' perception of work was influenced by the following variables: the age of the respondents, the city where they work, the way of carrying out the profession (employee or freelancer), and the size of the company where they work. The results obtained can be used by managers and regulatory bodies.

In their pursuit of market shares and turnover increase, contemporary society organizations have put higher pressure on employees, determining them to take on countless responsibilities, to increase their efforts to achieve corporate goals, to be more engaged in their work and to work harder. Probably driven by their desire to earn more or to promote quickly in their careers, without even noticing it, employees are often willing to work overtime, not taking into account the negative outcomes of such an approach: increased dissatisfaction with their work and increased addiction to their work. This negative work phenomenon is called workaholism. Workaholism (bad or negative component), along with work engagement (good or positive component) represent the two forms of heavy work investment. This relatively recent concept has been more intensely approached in the international literature, which tries to capture this complex phenomenon in various industries sectors on saturated and emerging markets, as well as in relation to different work-specific facets: employee motivation; employee satisfaction; employee performance; intention to quit the job; type of held position; organization size; organizational culture; intensity of employee’s additional effort, etc.

This study aimed to examine if a change to an occupation with a lower physical workload reduces the risk of all-cause disability pension (DP) and musculoskeletal DP (MDP).OBJECTIVEThis study aimed to examine if a change to an occupation with a lower physical workload reduces the risk of all-cause disability pension (DP) and musculoskeletal DP (MDP).This study used a sample of 359 453 workers who were registered as living in Sweden in 2005 and aged 44-63 in 2010. Exposure to physical workload was measured from 2005-2010 by linking a mean value from a job exposure matrix to occupational codes. The mean values were then split into quartiles. All included participants had high exposure to physical workload (top quartile) from 2005-2007. A change in physical workload was measured as a change to (i) any lower quartile or (ii) medium-high or low quartiles from 2008-2010. DP cases were taken from register data from 2011-2016. Crude and multivariate Cox proportional-hazards regression models estimated sex-specific hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).METHODSThis study used a sample of 359 453 workers who were registered as living in Sweden in 2005 and aged 44-63 in 2010. Exposure to physical workload was measured from 2005-2010 by linking a mean value from a job exposure matrix to occupational codes. The mean values were then split into quartiles. All included participants had high exposure to physical workload (top quartile) from 2005-2007. A change in physical workload was measured as a change to (i) any lower quartile or (ii) medium-high or low quartiles from 2008-2010. DP cases were taken from register data from 2011-2016. Crude and multivariate Cox proportional-hazards regression models estimated sex-specific hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).Compared to workers with consistently high physical workload, a change to any lower quartile of physical workload was associated with a decreased risk of all-cause DP (men: HR 0.59, 95% CI 0.46-0.77, women: HR 0.63, 95% CI 0.52-0.76) and MDP (men: HR 0.52, 95% CI 0.31-0.89, women: HR 0.61, 95% CI 0.44-0.84). Older workers had the largest decreased risk for MDP. Generally, changing from high to low physical workload was associated with a greater reduced risk of DP than changing from high to medium-high physical workload.RESULTSCompared to workers with consistently high physical workload, a change to any lower quartile of physical workload was associated with a decreased risk of all-cause DP (men: HR 0.59, 95% CI 0.46-0.77, women: HR 0.63, 95% CI 0.52-0.76) and MDP (men: HR 0.52, 95% CI 0.31-0.89, women: HR 0.61, 95% CI 0.44-0.84). Older workers had the largest decreased risk for MDP. Generally, changing from high to low physical workload was associated with a greater reduced risk of DP than changing from high to medium-high physical workload.Changing to an occupation with lower exposure to physical workload was associated with reduced risks of DP and MDP among both sexes.CONCLUSIONSChanging to an occupation with lower exposure to physical workload was associated with reduced risks of DP and MDP among both sexes.

ObjectiveTo investigate the separate and combined effects of overall heavy physical workload (PWL) and low decision authority on all-cause disability pension (DP) or musculoskeletal DP.MethodsThis study uses a sample of 1,804,242 Swedish workers aged 44–63 at the 2009 baseline. Job Exposure Matrices (JEMs) estimated exposure to PWL and decision authority. Mean JEM values were linked to occupational codes, then split into tertiles and combined. DP cases were taken from register data from 2010 to 2019. Cox regression models estimated sex-specific Hazard Ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). The Synergy Index (SI) estimated interaction effects.ResultsHeavy physical workload and low decision authority were associated with an increased risk of DP. Workers with combined exposure to heavy PWL and low decision authority often had greater risks of all-cause DP or musculoskeletal DP than when adding the effects of the single exposures. The results for the SI were above 1 for all-cause DP (men: SI 1.35 95%CI 1.18–1.55, women: SI 1.19 95%CI 1.05–1.35) and musculoskeletal disorder DP (men: SI 1.35 95%CI 1.08–1.69, women: 1.13 95%CI 0.85–1.49). After adjustment, the estimates for SI remained above 1 but were not statistically significant.ConclusionHeavy physical workload and low decision authority were separately associated with DP. The combination of heavy PWL and low decision authority was often associated with higher risks of DP than would be expected from adding the effects of the single exposures. Increasing decision authority among workers with heavy PWL could help reduce the risk of DP.

The present research investigates the mediational mechanism of Heavy-Work Investment (HWI) between job engagement, managerial roles and work burnout. The paper proposes an expansion to the HWI model (as divided into two dimensions: the investment of time and efforts) by exploring the role of value congruence (between the employees and their workplaces) as a moderator, with a two-study cultural differences perspective. Data from 186 American employees (Study 1) and 221 Israeli employees (Study 2) were collected. Moderated-mediation analyses were employed using PROCESS macro for the SPSS. Among others, we found that job engagement positively associates with HWI, but negatively with burnout. Managerial position was not related to any of the variables in either sample. However, the two HWI dimensions display different relationships with burnout; while the investment of efforts at work shows negative links to burnout, the investment of time does not show any consistent correlations with it. Moreover, support for moderated-mediation model was only found in the Israeli sample.. Implications and future research suggestions are discussed.

Purpose – The present research aimed to conceptually position passion for work as a predictor of HWI, as well as to assess the short and long-term influence of passion for work on workers' satisfaction, depression and turnover intentions. In addition, the paper tests whether the effects of passion for work were independent from those of work motivation. Design/methodology/approach – Hypotheses were tested in two field studies in work settings. The first study (n=2,393) was cross-sectional while the second study (n=335) used a prospective design. Findings – Harmonious passion was positively related to positive individual outcomes – higher work satisfaction, lower depression – and organizational outcomes – lower turnover intentions. Negative consequences – depression and turnover intentions – were positively related to obsessive passion. Furthermore, passion for work was found to be a distinct concept from work motivation as the above findings held even when controlling for work motivation. Research limitations/implications – Applications are limited to teachers. Only self-reported measures were used. Originality/value – The present research contributes significantly to the organizational and passion literature by showing that HWI may lead to either positive or negative outcomes depending on HWI's underlying motivational force, namely harmonious or obsessive passion. In addition, the present findings yield the first empirical evidence that passion and motivation are distinct but related concepts. In sum, findings from both studies provide valuable insights into the dynamics of passionate workers who are heavily invested in their work.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to clarify the relationship between two sub-constructs of heavy work investment: work engagement and workaholism. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to synthesize and critically assess existing research on the relationship between these concepts. Findings The review revealed three major shortcomings of the extant literature: a dichotomous perspective, variations in measurements and the unaddressed complexity of the relationship. Originality/value Based on these findings, this study provides a discussion on the limitations and suggestions for future research on work engagement and workaholism, including using a person-centered approach.

Defense mechanisms are unconscious processes that protect a person from excessive anxiety. They are part of everyday functioning, and mature defenses are associated with positive outcomes. However, the excessive use of defenses or the use of immature defenses is associated with psychopathology. The present study aims to analyze the defense mechanisms that characterize two types of heavy study investment: Studyholism and Study Engagement. We performed a path analysis, MANOVAs, and binary logistic regressions on 422 Italian college students (Mage = 22.56 ± 2.87; 63.5% females). Among the main findings, the strongest (and positive) predictor of Studyholism is regression (maladaptive defense), while for Study Engagement, it is task-orientation (adaptive defense). Hence, Studyholism might be defined as a new potential clinical condition. Additionally, a critical analysis of all the defense mechanisms predicting Studyholism supports the appropriateness of the OCD-related framework for conceptualizing Studyholism. Regarding Study Engagement, even if generally associated with a positive defense style, the finding that it is positively predicted by projection confirms previous studies suggesting that, for some students, it might constitute a coping strategy with paranoid symptoms (and social anxiety and anxiety). Hence, we recommend screening engaged students for social impairment and clinically relevant symptoms that might be hidden by hard studying.

This study aims to deepen the analysis of Studyholism (or obsession toward study) on a sample of 793 Italian adolescents (Mage = 16.30 ± 1.73; 53% boys). A path analysis model including potential antecedents (i.e., worry, study-related perfectionism, perfectionistic strivings and concerns, overstudy climate, type of school) and outcomes (e.g., grade point average, time spent studying, psychological well-being) of Studyholism was tested. In line with previous findings on college students, this study supported the conceptualization of problematic overstudying as an OCD-related disorder, since worry is the strongest predictor of Studyholism. Moreover, among the main findings, it confirmed that Studyholism is associated with negative academic outcomes, while Study Engagement predicts positive academic outcomes. Finally, it also confirmed that both Studyholism and Study Engagement predict social impairment. In conclusion, preventive interventions to favor students’ academic success and well-being should reduce perfectionistic concerns and study-related perfectionism and enhance time management skills (in Engaged students too). For reducing Studyholism, instead, the primary target should be trait worry. Finally, preventive interventions should be implemented across all the school types and possibly during childhood or pre-adolescence to avoid the increase in psychological and social impairment that has been found to be associated with Studyholism in youths. It is also essential to detect potential early risk indicators (especially among individual factors) of Studyholism in childhood.