Introduction/framework/objectives

The term is reasonably widespread in common sense vocabulary, but its definition is not.

The aim of this review is to understand the concept and try to understand how this may influence some relevant variables in an occupational context, such as professional satisfaction, quality of working life, performance, teamwork, productivity, global health and safety at work.

Methodology

This is a Bibliographic Review, initiated through research carried out in april of 2023 in the databases “CINALH plus with full text, Medline with full text, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Methodology Register, Nursing and Allied Health Collection: comprehensive, MedicLatina and RCAAP”.

Content

The term was first used by Oates in 1971 to describe the uncontrollable need to work, disrupting health, happiness and relationships. Others add the great expenditure of energy and effort in this regard, to the detriment of relationships, health and time for oneself. Although there is no consensually accepted definition, there are several criteria to consider, including concern about work, working to avoid mood swings and harder to achieve the same feeling, dysphoria if unable to work and conflict with one's own feelings or needs.

Discussion and Conclusions

The content of the articles is not homogeneous, not only due to the difference between the possible definitions, but also due to the preconceptions of the researchers or the authors they consulted. In other words, it is considered that Workaholism can be working in an intense and committed way, with great performance, generating intense job satisfaction and admiration for the employer/managers/colleagues/family and friends; as it can also be seen as a pathological and/or disorganized way of approaching work, generating anxiety and discomfort, sometimes not even resulting in increased productivity.

Knowing how to recognize the most negative aspects of this concept as early as possible will increase the possibility of intervening more effectively, enhancing job satisfaction, quality of life, performance, productivity and profit.

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