Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to bring conceptual clarity to the heavy work investment (HWI) construct while building a model based on a review of extant empirical and theoretical research and to encourage further discussion and investigations regarding the nature of HWI, specifically its individual level antecedents, dimensions, and outcomes for both the employee and the organization. The proposed theoretical framework builds upon the Job Demands–Resources model and conceptualizes HWI on a continuum of workaholism and work engagement. Specific propositions for the antecedents and outcomes of the HWI continuum are developed. The paper ends with a discussion of future research directions.
Highlights
Heavy employee investment of time and effort in work may have positive as well as negative outcomes for both the employee and the organization [1,2]
What makes an employee invest heavily in work with both time and effort? Are there particular dispositional traits that affect this behavior? How do dispositional traits interact with situational factors to influence employee behavior? Which mechanisms are at play to determine whether there will be positive, negative, attitudinal, behavioral, affective, individual, or organizational outcomes of this behavior? This review paper aims to explore these questions and seeks to bring conceptual clarity to the construct of heavy work investment (HWI) while advancing theory
Proposition 1. (A) Neuroticism as a dominant Five Factor Model trait is positively related to the workaholism type of HWI as perceived job demands outweigh the job resources. (B) Extraversion, agreeableness, openness to experience, and conscientiousness as dominant Five Factor Model traits are positively related to the work engagement type of HWI as perceived job resources outweigh the job demands
Summary
Heavy employee investment of time and effort in work may have positive as well as negative outcomes for both the employee and the organization [1,2]. While workaholism carries negative implications of heavy work investment, work engagement pertains to positive involvement in work [12]. The working purpose but is toguilt bring conceptual clarity to the HWI cognition (such as obsession with working), behavior (such asand working excessive construct while building a modeland based on empirical theoretical reviews of extant hours including while and at home). Workaholics typically enjoy themselves whilethe nature of research to encourage further discussion and investigations regarding working (affect), think a lot about work whilelevel not working (cognitive), and work for long for both the HWI, its individual antecedents, dimensions, and outcomes hours (behavior).
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