Exploring the mechanism to understand workaholism effects on positive and negative behaviors: a moderated mediated study

Abstract

Purpose

Workaholism negatively impacts desired behavioral outcomes. However, understanding the role of workaholism dimensions (excessiveness and compulsiveness) can help differentiate and address employee motivators towards behavioral outcomes. Using conservation of resource theory, this study explores the influence of these workaholism dimensions, as resource-consuming elements, on positive organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) and counterproductive work behaviors (CWBs). Further, work–family conflict (WFC) and family–work conflict (FWC) are included as mediators, and time-control as a moderator, and ultimately, a moderated mediation model is tested.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey data were collected using a time-lagged data from 306 New Zealand employee respondents. Data were analysed for moderated mediation using the PROCESS macro.

Findings

Both dimensions of workaholism positively relate to OCBs but only excessiveness to CWBs. We find significant indirect effects of excessiveness and compulsiveness on CWBs through FWC, where time control acts as a boundary condition, showing moderated mediation effects.

Research limitations/implications

Fundamentally, the unique effects found encourage workaholism researchers to undertake more complex models to provide new insights.

Originality/value

This is a unique study examining time control as a boundary condition. The findings of moderated mediation provide unique insights and show that workaholism effects depend on other factors.

Citation

Ghafoor, A. and Haar, J. (2024), "Exploring the mechanism to understand workaholism effects on positive and negative behaviors: a moderated mediated study", International Journal of Manpower, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJM-10-2023-0569