Does your work make you a workaholic? Situational triggers and chronic enhancers of state workaholism

Workaholism is a distinct form of heavy work investment characterised by a compulsive drive to work excessively. While its consequences for health and well-being are well documented, less is known about how it emerges on a daily basis. Drawing on whole trait theory and trait activation theory, this study examines the day-level production of state workaholism. We propose that anticipated morning workload acts as a trait-relevant situational cue that triggers compulsive overwork during the same day, thereby increasing daily workaholism. We further hypothesise that this effect is stronger for individuals with higher trait workaholism and for those embedded in an organisational climate that promotes overwork, with both factors amplifying the impact of anticipated workload. A multilevel analysis of 583 daily observations from 126 employees participating in a two-week diary study provided consistent support for these hypotheses. The findings highlight the importance of addressing organisational norms that valorise overwork and monitoring employees' daily workload. Interventions focused on mitigating excessive work culture and offering secondary stress-prevention strategies, such as time-management training, may help reduce the daily experience of workaholism.