European Journal of Social Sciences Studies
ISSN: 2501-8590
ISSN-L: 2501-8590
Available on-line at: www.oapub.org/soc
Volume 2 │ Issue 2 │ 2017
doi: 10.5281/zenodo.438139
INVESTIGATING THE AMOUNT OF WORK ADDICTION AMONG
MUNICIPALITY EMPLOYEES OF PIRANSHAHR CITY, IRAN
Nematollah Mahmoud Pour*i,
Mohammad Amin Savareh Denkhe,
Naser Faraji,
Naser Bayezidi
The Staff of Piranshahr Municipality,
Piranshahr City, Iran
Abstract:
The work, at the present era, is an inseparable part of human life. Every day, people
spend much of their time in organizations. Unlimited pressures and demands of the
organization forced the people to keep working constantly which may increase the
probability formation of addiction to work with them, which this may leave behind the
positive and negative effects in the related organization. Thus, the purpose of this
research is to investigate the amount of work addiction among municipality employees
of Piranshahr city that is done with descriptive-survey method. The statistical
population consists of the employees of Piranshahr city municipality, their number was
55 people. To collect data, work addiction questionnaire of Spence and Robbins (1992),
which contains 20 questions, was used. Its validity was confirmed by experts in the
management field. The reliability was obtained 0.88 by Cronbach's alpha. To analyze
the data, descriptive statistics, as well as one-sample t-test was used. Results indicated
that job involvement, passion for work and pleasure from work have a positive and
meaningful impact on the municipality employees of Piranshahr city (p=0.01).
Keywords: work addiction, involvement, desire, pleasure, staff
1. Introduction
Today employees thought about their working life more than ever and worry about it.
They are searching a secure, long-term and satisfying job. The employees start their
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Nematollah Mahmoud Pour, Mohammad Amin Savareh Denkhe, Naser Faraji, Naser Bayezidi
INVESTIGATING THE AMOUNT OF WORK ADDICTION AMONG
MUNICIPALITY EMPLOYEES OF PIRANSHAHR CITY, IRAN
profession with special hope and expectations and for reaching the highest level and
most of them care about their progress, power, gaining the highest responsibilities and
rewards. Work addiction is an addiction that may be enjoyable, but also frustrating and
problematic, so that even some people consider it as a disease. They do not necessarily
love their work, but without the work, they cannot spend their time. They think they
are the only ones who can do this particular job and because of excessive involving in
the work, they are known as workaholics (Bonebright, 2000)
The term work addiction, for the first time used by an American priest and
psychologist Wayne Oates (1968) in his book entitles as "Confessions of a Workaholic".
Of course, this term in the 1990s had widespread applications. Although in most cases,
addiction to work at a job, is associated with a high income, but this state may be
correct about those who excessively do sports, music, art etc. This term is often applied
mistakenly about the personality of active and full work people that in addition to
having a good relationship with colleagues, enjoyment of non-profit activities, adequate
rest and proper participation in family and society, the as well as, consider a lot of time
to work. These people, e normal people whose only difference from the others, is the
proper planning in their personal and professional life. While the person suffering from
work addiction, behaves in a way that his attempts out of his work is harmful to himself
and his family (Burke, 2001).
Otes (1971) believes that work addiction is kind of habituation to something. He
knows a work addiction as a person that has an extreme need for work that creates
many problems and conflicts in the health, happiness and personal weakness,
interpersonal relations and the spirit of being social. Robbins (1992) presented the first
scientific and academic definition of the work addiction term. From the perspective of
addiction to work originated from a set of attitudes and perceptions of people. They
consider a work addiction person as a person that has a great involvement in the work,
high compulsive feelings or extraordinary inner passion for working and taking little
pleasure from his work. Machloitz (1980) in another place wrote "the different attitudes
and views that exist toward the work, is not meant as the working hours that a person accounted
for the work”. In contrast, Scott et al. (1997) state that work addiction cannot be a kind of
attitude, but it is a behavioral pattern. This means that a person allocates more time for
his work activities, even when he is not at his workplace; he even works continuously
outside the organization.
Robinson (2000) also points out; really a bright and clear definition of addiction
to work is very hard and difficult. He knows addict to work as an obsessive disorder,
that arises as a result of self-actualization requirements or lack of ability to control work
habits or an excessive in work in which is an exceptional something in comparison with
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Nematollah Mahmoud Pour, Mohammad Amin Savareh Denkhe, Naser Faraji, Naser Bayezidi
INVESTIGATING THE AMOUNT OF WORK ADDICTION AMONG
MUNICIPALITY EMPLOYEES OF PIRANSHAHR CITY, IRAN
other life activities (Robbinz, 2004). Snier and Harpaz (2004), define work addiction as
excessive time devoted to physical or mental activity that is related to work. MacMillan
et al. (2001) also defines work addiction as the resistance of an individual in releasing
him from a work that always involves in it. Generally from definitions that have been
presented in the past few decades, it can be said that at least two factors are specified as
the main characteristic of work addiction people that include the inner urge to work
and spend so much time on the job (even important life) (N G, 2007).
One of the most well-known tools for measuring addiction to work that is widely
used is "Achievement – oriented" of Spens and Robbins (1992) that work dived into 3
following components base on degree and value:
1. Work involvement
2. Feelings of Being Driven to work
3. Work Enjoyment
Recently, many field types of research have been done on the work addiction
(Scott, 1997). The extent of researchers has gone so far that questions about work
addiction are more than answers and many of the great attention of researchers are
about defining issues.
Elsewhere, Spence and Robbins (1992), have identified six subscales of addicts
and non-addicts work: Work Addicts, Enthusiastic Workaholics, Work Enthusiasts,
unfettered workers, relief workers, indifferent workers.
In 2004, two researchers, namely, Buelens and Poelmans, developed the typology
of Spence and Robbins that in addition to 6 subtypes the type of "Reluctant Hard
Worker" and "Alienated Professionals" added to that.
Fundamental studies that are done, about work addiction, focused on a surface
descriptive rather than describe it as a unique phenomenon. Empirical researches
conducted by Burke et al., were measured only cognitive factors of Workaholics (beliefs,
fears, and perceptions) (Kanai, 2001, Wakabaiashi, 2004) have studied the impact of
stressful work environment and economic factors on work addiction and Buelens and
Poelmans (2005) have studied the impact of organizational culture (the positions and
work pressure on personal growth) on addict to work. According to Burke et al (19992004), there was not observed a significant difference between addicts to work, eagers
and eagers to work in terms of working hours and involved in the work. They
concluded that feel the urge to work and enjoy working, are two key elements that will
determine the types of work addiction and according to their opinion; these two
elements are as the behavior and attitude gained during work and according to work
experience. According to the expressed materials and the importance of the issue and
because so far has not been done any research about the value of the staff of the
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Nematollah Mahmoud Pour, Mohammad Amin Savareh Denkhe, Naser Faraji, Naser Bayezidi
INVESTIGATING THE AMOUNT OF WORK ADDICTION AMONG
MUNICIPALITY EMPLOYEES OF PIRANSHAHR CITY, IRAN
municipality of Piranshahr city the necessity of this study was formed. For this reason
this study was done with the purpose of investigating the amount of work addiction
among municipality employees of Piranshahr city.
2. Methods
The research method is a descriptive survey. The statistical population consists of the
employees of Piranshahr city municipality, their number was 55 people. To collect data,
work addiction questionnaire of Spence and Robbins (1992), which contains 20
questions, was used. Its validity was confirmed by experts in the management field.
The reliability was obtained 0.88 by Cronbach's alpha. To analyze the data, descriptive
statistics, as well as one-sample t-test was used. All statistical operations carried out by
software SPSS-22.
3. Results
In this part of the study using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and one-sample t-test
hypotheses of the research were tested. Before the implementation of the single-sample
t-test, the non-parametric test Kolmogorov-Smirnov (Z Kolmogorov-Smirnov) was
conducted to determine the normal distribution of data. Results of this test indicate the
normality of the data in each three variable of the study (Table 1).
Table 1: Kolmogorov-Smirnov test for variables of research
Variable
P – Value
Z
Work addiction
0.774
0.368
Job involvement
0.651
0.445
Eager to work
1.2.16
0.198
Enjoy the work
1.129
0.160
According to results of Table 1 and obtained significance level, each of the variables of
the research that is bigger than meaningful level the data of all variables are higher than
0.05 and as a result, they are normal therefore for testing each of the variables the Tsimple test is used.
A. The first hypothesis test
Involvement with work has an impact on work addiction among staff working in the
municipality of Piranshahr city (H1).
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Nematollah Mahmoud Pour, Mohammad Amin Savareh Denkhe, Naser Faraji, Naser Bayezidi
INVESTIGATING THE AMOUNT OF WORK ADDICTION AMONG
MUNICIPALITY EMPLOYEES OF PIRANSHAHR CITY, IRAN
Involvement with work has not an impact on work addiction among staff working in
the municipality of Piranshahr city (H0).
Table 2: Single sample t-test for the first hypothesis
First hypothesis
Involvement
with
The value of test = 3
The value of
Degree
t-test
freedom
sig
Average
In confidence level
0.99
work
Min
3.842
55
0.000
0.632
Max
0.266
0.891
According to Table 2, the value of t is 3.842 and its degree freedom is 55.since the
obtained t value is higher than the critical value of 1.96 then the null hypothesis of the
research rejected and the main hypothesis is accepted. Then, with 99 percent
confidence, we can say that involvement with the work has an impact on work
addiction among staff working in the municipality of Piranshahr city.
B. The second hypothesis test
Passion for work has an impact on work addiction among staff working in the
municipality of Piranshahr city (H1)
Passion for work has not an impact on work addiction among staff working in the
municipality of Piranshahr city (H0)
Table 3: Single sample t-test for the second hypothesis
First hypothesis
The
passion
The value of test = 3
The value of
Degree
t-test
freedom
sig
Average
In confidence level
0.99
for work
Min
2.679
55
0.000
0.412
0.165
Max
0.874
According to table 3, the value of t is 2.679 and its degree freedom is 55.since the
obtained t value is higher than the critical value of 1.96 then the null hypothesis of the
research rejected and the main hypothesis is accepted.Then, with 99 percent confidence,
we can say that passion for work has an impact on work addiction among staff working
in the municipality of Piranshahr city.
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Nematollah Mahmoud Pour, Mohammad Amin Savareh Denkhe, Naser Faraji, Naser Bayezidi
INVESTIGATING THE AMOUNT OF WORK ADDICTION AMONG
MUNICIPALITY EMPLOYEES OF PIRANSHAHR CITY, IRAN
C. The third hypothesis test
Enjoy from work has an impact on work addiction among staff working in the
municipality of Piranshahr city (H1)
Enjoy from work has not an impact on work addiction among staff working in the
municipality of Piranshahr city (H0).
Table 3: Single sample t-test for the third hypothesis
First hypothesis
The value of test = 3
Enjoy
The value of
Degree
from
t-test
freedom
sig
Average
In confidence level
0.99
work
Min
3.720
55
0.000
0.559
0.267
Max
0.879
According to Table 4, the value of t is 3.720 and its degree freedom is 55.since the
obtained t value is higher than the critical value of 1.96 then the null hypothesis of the
research rejected and the main hypothesis is accepted. Then, with 99 percent
confidence, we can say that enjoy from work has an impact on work addiction among
staff who are working in the municipality of Piranshahr city.
4. Discussion and Conclusion
The purpose of this research was doing an investigating the amount of work addiction
among municipality employees of Piranshahr city. Results suggested that the
involvement in work, having a passion for work and enjoy from work has a positive
and meaningful impact on municipality employees of Piranshahr city. Managers always
try to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the organization by taking advantage
of the academic experience. The recovery and improvement of an organization is a
process that through its knowledge and the performances of behavioral sciences are
used to help greater effectiveness. Efficiency means less time or used energy for most of
the work that is done. The level of increasing efficiency directly deposited to the
managers. The displacement and job circulation of people van has an impact on job
satisfaction and finally in increasing efficiency, especially when it is done along with the
promotion. To create a powerful work environment, the role of managers must be
transformed from a mind framework to a supportive environment which in this frame
all staff can work efficiently. Increasing productivity leads to promote efficiency and
effective help to obtain organizational goals. To improve the work in the organization
following suggestions are offered:
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Nematollah Mahmoud Pour, Mohammad Amin Savareh Denkhe, Naser Faraji, Naser Bayezidi
INVESTIGATING THE AMOUNT OF WORK ADDICTION AMONG
MUNICIPALITY EMPLOYEES OF PIRANSHAHR CITY, IRAN
The rewards not rewarded to addictive behaviors(of course, those employees
who are very active and have a balance between work-life must be identified),make
sure that the vacation time of staff is apart from their work, job insecurity, too much
work, the limited opportunity for jobs and lack of control may be pushing workers to
do more work.
In the other place, Hass (1991) points out the great role of managers.
Administrators can stimulate workaholic employees to change their behavior. Staff
must participate in counseling programs of the staff and begin their healing process
with rehabilitation programs. In the meantime, managers should adopt supporting role
and prepare the short-term and long-term plans for them. According to Hass, the
directors must comply with the preset programs, every day, meet with their staff and
closely observe their work.
Some researcher's support of Self – Help programs for work addiction people
(Kiechel, 1989, Oates, 1971, Klaft & Kleiner, 1988, Franzmeir, 1988).These activities are
included, identify new options for work, Create new entertainment and enjoyment from
anything. Professional helps, either as individual or group counseling, can also lead a
good help to decrease addiction (Noghton, 1987, Sibled and Saloman, 1994).examples of
Self – Help programs are conducted in Canada and United states that is done as 12
stage program.
According to Robinson (1998), devoting time to family and counseling with them
can also heal the negative effects of addiction to work. Increasing communication skills
can also be useful. Organizations can also try to be more time with their families with a
variety of programs. Even organizations can by giving rewards to those who spend a
great time with their families, reduce work addiction among staff.
Some researchers believe that some behaviors of addicted staff to decreased job
performance (Fasel, 1990, Scott, 1997, Spense and Robbonz, 1992). An employee who is
constantly engaged in the work or constantly doing minor tasks shows lower
performance. Creating busy working, working very hard on simple projects or create
unnecessary crises for opportunities to work more, causing weakness in the
performance. In addition, experience has shown, the increase in the quantity of works
will sacrifice the quality of the works.
According to Korn et al (1987), the positive behavioral patterns can be achieved
by training and spread it among the people. Even it is possible to reduce negative
effects of addiction to work (especially health and well-being and stress). Some also
have different ways to reduce this type of addiction (that is provided in many bulletins
and various organizations).in the following some of them presented:
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Nematollah Mahmoud Pour, Mohammad Amin Savareh Denkhe, Naser Faraji, Naser Bayezidi
INVESTIGATING THE AMOUNT OF WORK ADDICTION AMONG
MUNICIPALITY EMPLOYEES OF PIRANSHAHR CITY, IRAN
a. Self-control: When a co-worker or subordinate offering a suggestion that in your view
is ridiculous not resist and let it be done, although, it is not true. Let someone else do
the job. Even though you think it is a trivial theory, then replace another idea to your
opinion. Give the authority to someone else to review the projects. Do not offer, do not
recommend and do not control the work in detail.
b. Discover new hobbies: Try to play and exercise. It is a great chance that you can
strengthen your muscles.
c. Accept defeat: For people who are addicted to work the defeat very painful. Try to in
the right direction, delegate the works to your friends and colleagues.
d. Collaborate with family and friends in entertainment programs: spend a time in the
week with your spouse, kids, and friends. Short working hours.
e. Accolades others: do this work several times during day because people will pay
more attention to their work, you should exercise by praise others gives more attention
to them.
f. Identify the pretext that confirms addiction to work: for example, I work hard for my
family, the company needs me to work 18 hours during the day. The truth is that the
company continues its work without you, but you finally do, you lose your family.
g. Reducing Activities: talk to someone who calls instead of your spouse.
h. Say No: Learn to say no
All these things are not realized until the real value of what you do is a cover, but
if you work normally appears the origins value of yourself, the family and broad
interests.
5. Other recommendations
1) Advice about introducing different aspects of the life of work addiction people
that do not pay much attention to them such as family, parents, social life,
friends...
2) Review the workload of people addicted to work in case of being busy and
delegate some tasks to others.
3) Reducing overtime hours of workaholics and people on the verge of addiction to
work
4) Emphasis and requirement for organizations for sending on leave the
workaholics staff and people on the verge of addiction, to relax and stay away
from the work environment and get used to the new conditions.
5) Providing appropriate spaces for sport and recreation facilities for employees
and organizing sports competitions between employees.
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INVESTIGATING THE AMOUNT OF WORK ADDICTION AMONG
MUNICIPALITY EMPLOYEES OF PIRANSHAHR CITY, IRAN
6) Attention to the most influential personality traits on the work addiction of the
staff.
7) Emphasis and requirement for organizations to deploy work addiction staff, to
the monthly family camps and sending to pilgrimage, tourism and...
8) The basic attention to job rotation for workaholics and people on the verge of
addiction.
9) Guidance and planning for the self-esteem of the employees in order to achieve
the higher goals of the organization
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INVESTIGATING THE AMOUNT OF WORK ADDICTION AMONG
MUNICIPALITY EMPLOYEES OF PIRANSHAHR CITY, IRAN
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