TY - JOUR
T1 - Overwork climate scale
T2 - psychometric properties and relationships with working hard
AU - Mazzetti, Greta
AU - Schaufeli, Wilmar B.
AU - Guglielmi, Dina
AU - Depolo, Marco
PY - 2016/5/9
Y1 - 2016/5/9
N2 - Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate whether employees’ tendency to work excessive hours is motivated by the perception of a work environment that encourages overwork (overwork climate). Thus, this study introduces a self-report questionnaire aimed at assessing the perception of a psychological climate for overwork in the workplace. Design/methodology/approach – In Study 1, the overwork climate scale (OWCS) was developed and evaluated using principal component analysis (n=395) and confirmatory factor analysis (n=396). In Study 2, the total sample (n=791) was used to explore the association of the overwork climate with opposite types of working hard (work engagement and workaholism). Findings – Two overwork climate dimensions were distinguished, namely, overwork endorsement and lacking overwork rewards. The lack of overwork rewards was negatively associated with engagement, whereas workaholism showed a strong positive association with overwork endorsement. These relationships remained significant after controlling for the impact of psychological job demands. Research limitations/implications – The findings rely on self-report data and a cross-sectional design. Practical implications – The perception of a work environment that encourages overwork but does not allocate additional compensation seems to foster workaholism. Moreover, the inadequacy of overwork rewards constitutes a lack of resources that negatively affect employees’ engagement. Originality/value – This study represents one of the first attempts to develop a questionnaire aimed at assessing a psychological climate for overwork and to explore whether the perception of this type of climate may be significantly related to workaholism and work engagement.
AB - Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate whether employees’ tendency to work excessive hours is motivated by the perception of a work environment that encourages overwork (overwork climate). Thus, this study introduces a self-report questionnaire aimed at assessing the perception of a psychological climate for overwork in the workplace. Design/methodology/approach – In Study 1, the overwork climate scale (OWCS) was developed and evaluated using principal component analysis (n=395) and confirmatory factor analysis (n=396). In Study 2, the total sample (n=791) was used to explore the association of the overwork climate with opposite types of working hard (work engagement and workaholism). Findings – Two overwork climate dimensions were distinguished, namely, overwork endorsement and lacking overwork rewards. The lack of overwork rewards was negatively associated with engagement, whereas workaholism showed a strong positive association with overwork endorsement. These relationships remained significant after controlling for the impact of psychological job demands. Research limitations/implications – The findings rely on self-report data and a cross-sectional design. Practical implications – The perception of a work environment that encourages overwork but does not allocate additional compensation seems to foster workaholism. Moreover, the inadequacy of overwork rewards constitutes a lack of resources that negatively affect employees’ engagement. Originality/value – This study represents one of the first attempts to develop a questionnaire aimed at assessing a psychological climate for overwork and to explore whether the perception of this type of climate may be significantly related to workaholism and work engagement.
KW - Overwork
KW - Psychological climate
KW - Psychological job demands
KW - Work engagement
KW - Workaholism
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84964522895&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1108/JMP-03-2014-0100
DO - 10.1108/JMP-03-2014-0100
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84964522895
SN - 0268-3946
VL - 31
SP - 880
EP - 896
JO - Journal of Managerial Psychology
JF - Journal of Managerial Psychology
IS - 4
ER -