Work late at night, remorse at the weekend: according to a study, 9.8% of working people in Germany find it difficult to disconnect from work in their free time. According to the study, around 10% of employed Germans exhibit addictive behavior towards work.
As noted in a study by the Federal Institute for Vocational Training (BIBB) and the Technical University of Braunschweig, published by the Hans Böckler Foundation, dependent people are more likely than other employees to develop health problems.
Two phenomena
Researchers classify people as work addicted when two phenomena occur in parallel: a person works hard and quickly performs multiple tasks at the same time. This is called overwork.
Another factor is “determination”: a person works hard, even if it does not give him pleasure, he is tormented by his conscience when he takes time and cannot relax in his free time.
The researchers explained that these people experience a so-called withdrawal syndrome during the period of absence from paid work.
Unlimited work is not good
According to a study conducted with just over 8,000 working people in 2017 and 2018, 9.8% of them showed addictive behavior in relation to work.
In turn, 28% of them rated their general health as less than good or bad. Among the rest of the respondents, only 14% answered this way.
At the same time, the results show that drug-addicted workers spend less time seeing doctors and less attention to their recovery, according to the study. Among those addicted to work, 45% said they had not taken a single day off work during the past year. Among other workers, this figure was only 36%.
Burnout and depression
As possible long-term consequences of addictive work, experts cite an increased risk of burnout or depressed mood. Such mental disorders can lead to prolonged absence from work.
The study authors point out that the relationship between work addiction and health is “not just an individual problem” – it can “also have a negative impact on society”.
Health protection is essential
Long periods of absence from the workplace are particularly costly for companies, as they can lead to prolonged production stoppages in the event of staff shortages. “Especially in the context of a shortage of skilled workers, the issue of preventing long-term sick leave is very relevant.”
Therefore, in the future, the prevention of work addiction should play a more important role. This includes, but is not limited to, raising awareness of the issue and taking active steps to protect business health.
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