50+ Workaholism Facts and Statistics (2023)

Workaholism in Japan

Looking at the list, Japan’s workaholism is especially concerning, given the extremely low rate of people who take all their allotted vacation days. Did you know that 1 in 4 firms in Japan say workers used to log over 80 overtime hours a month?

Let’s take a deeper look at what’s going on.

Workaholism In The United States

A new study of 2,000 employed Americans found that nearly half of them (48%) consider themselves to be modern-day “workaholics”. But interestingly, they also found that only 28% of them worked hard out of financial necessity.

Additionally, Deloitte’s external marketplace survey of 1,000 full-time US professionals provides some more interesting stats to consider:

• 77% of Americans who work full-time have experienced burnout at their jobs – this might have something to do with the fact that 94% of service professionals put in 50+ hours a week, according to a Harvard Business School survey.

• Nearly 70 percent of professionals feel their employers are not doing enough to prevent or alleviate burnout within their organization.

• Nearly half of millennials say they have left a job specifically because they felt burned out

And if you’re wondering if you might be one yourself, here are some signs to look out for:

• Worrying about work on your days off

• Feeling too busy to take a vacation

• Checking your emails in bed after you wake up. In fact, 58% of American office workers admitted to checking their work email while still in bed!

A cluster analysis investigation of workaholism as a syndrome published in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology also reinforced a three-dimensional scale of workaholism that involved:

• High work involvement,

• High drive to work

• Low work enjoyment

A more scientific way of determining whether you’re a workaholic is by using the Bergen Work Addiction Scale (you can check out this work addiction risk test here).

It’s not just about the long hours, it’s also the fact that Americans are constantly thinking about work and career development. The study mentioned earlier in the NY post also found that the average employed American works four hours a week for free, and spends an additional four hours a week just thinking about work!

Workaholism In China

Did you know that people call the work culture in China the “996”? Guess what that means.

It’s their version of a 9-5. Except, instead of an eight-hour day, it’s a 12-hour one. That’s right, Chinese workers are expected to work from 9 am to 9 pm, six days a week. Employees in China also tend to score higher for Workaholism than employees in Western European countries and the United States.

It’s a big problem, especially for young urban millennials and members of Generation Z. They’re feeling the intense stress and extreme competition of daily life, and they’re calling it “involution” (neijuan in Chinese), which means feeling like you’re on a treadmill going nowhere.

And it’s not just the long hours that are the problem, it’s also the pressure that starts as early as kindergarten. Children are groomed by their parents to compete for high scores in university entrance exams. The stress and burnout are taking a toll on mental and physical health, and younger Chinese workers feel like the long hours aren’t paying off in terms of higher living standards, especially amid slowing economic growth.

That’s why there’s a growing resistance to China’s ultra-competitive culture among young people across social media, centered around online calls for people to “lie flat” or do the minimum and push boundaries of what’s socially acceptable in this industrious nation. People are finding solace in alternative lifestyle options like co-living communities springing up around the country, which offer a more laid-back existence.

Workaholism In Europe

The Europeans have a more relaxed attitude towards their working hours and prioritize spending time with family, friends, and leisure activities over the job itself. In fact, studies have found that employees in countries like Germany, Austria, and Finland are some of the least stressed-out workers in Europe. This is likely due to the fact that these countries are known for their strong labor laws, which protect employee rights and set reasonable boundaries for working hours.

But that doesn’t mean Europe is immune to workaholism. A new EU-OSHA’s workers’ survey shows that 44% say workplace stress has increased from the pandemic, with 46% dealing with severe time pressure or work overload.

On average, full-time employees in the European Union put in 36.4 hours a week at their main job. But, if you’re living in Romania or Bulgaria, you’re probably clocking in a bit more, with an average of 40.5 and 40.4 hours a week, respectively. And get this, in Belgium, employees were working 39.1 hours a week, but for the self-employed, it jumps up to 52.8 hours a week. So, if you’re self-employed in Belgium, you might want to take a vacation soon.

Workaholism in IT

The IT industry, in particular, has a reputation for encouraging long hours and stressful work environments. There’s this thing called technostress, which is a type of workaholic stress from working with computer technology on a daily basis. The symptoms include:

• Anxiety

• Behavioral strain

• Exhaustion

• Mental fatigue

• Poor concentration

• Physical diseases

• Insomnia

And all that can lead to reduced productivity, decreased job satisfaction, decreased organizational commitment, and increased absenteeism and turnover.

One study tested the relationship between workaholism, technostress, and authoritarian leadership style among university administrative staff who worked remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results showed that the authoritarian leadership style increased workaholism and technostress among remote workers, and that technostress was higher for women.

Another study revealed the strongest influencing factors for workaholism in IT.

• Employee remuneration: those with a higher salary tended to put in more hours

• The intrinsic pleasure of working

• Support from one’s life partner

• Sense of responsibility towards one’s family

• The need to demonstrate competence

• The desire for hierarchical advancement

• Fear of losing the job

So, if you’re working in the IT industry, it’s important to be mindful of these factors and take steps to manage your stress levels. You only have so much energy. This could include talking to a colleague, taking regular breaks, and engaging in healthy activities like exercise or meditation for more life satisfaction.

Workaholism in Startups

Startups often fall prey to unhealthy work habits and workaholism, and venture capital investors play a significant role in this. The mythology around startups promotes and even requires burn-out efforts in order to meet the short timelines of venture funds. And investors, who only succeed when a startup becomes successful, push for excessive sacrifices from entrepreneurs and employees.

This pressure trickles down and can lead to a culture of overworking, with employees sacrificing their personal lives and well-being for the sake of the company. This can also lead to a lack of proper compensation for the excessive sacrifices made by employees. But research has shown that requiring staff to work excessive hours in your startup can have negative consequences:

1. It poses a significant risk to their health, with a 67% increased chance of developing heart disease for those working 11 hours per day compared to 8.
2. It also increases the likelihood of alcohol abuse, with those working 50 or more hours per week being three times more likely to develop a problem.
3. It diminishes productivity, as 50% of employees experience decreased productivity as a result of stress.
4. Losing sleep can have a similar impact to consuming alcohol, with 20 hours of being awake equating to a blood alcohol level of 0.1, equivalent to five or six drinks for those weighing 160-180 pounds.

While the work situation of entrepreneurs can be challenging, it’s not the decisive factor for well-being, rather it depends on how entrepreneurs deal with it – those who don’t engage in work times and detach when they’re supposed to suffer most.

Additionally, many entrepreneurs use perks and incentives to make it appear as though employees choose to work excessive hours, and appeal to a sense of “greater good” in order to justify the sacrifices. However, studies have shown that sleep, recuperation, and sustainable work habits are crucial for overall performance and success, yet many startup employees neglect these in pursuit of success.

Workaholism in Finance

Did you know that more than a quarter of people working in financial services consider themselves workaholics?

The banking and finance industry is no stranger to workaholism, with investment bankers and hedge fund analysts clocking in an average of 60-100 hours per week. It’s a super competitive industry. If one bank can’t get the job done for a client, another one will. And if one analyst can’t handle a task, there’s always another one ready to step in.

This can make for a pretty unpredictable workflow. Banks are always trying to keep their clients happy, even if it means working on unreasonable requests. And analysts are always trying to impress their bosses.

But here’s the thing, sometimes deals happen at the last minute and they just have to be done, no matter the time of day. That’s why you might see some investment bankers pulling all-nighters or working late into the night. It’s just the nature of the industry. In fact, a shocking survey conducted by Goldman Sachs in 2021 revealed that, on average, first-year investment banking analysts are expected to work a staggering 95 hours each week.

Unfortunately, the long hours and lack of work-life balance have become a cultural norm in the industry. Senior bankers might think that because they had to work those hours as analysts, new analysts have to as well. But there’s hope on the horizon. A survey by Goldman Sachs in 2021 suggests that investment banks may be moving towards healthier, more sustainable hours. The survey recommended that Goldman Sachs should cap the workweek at 80 hours, among other steps to improve the well-being of their employees.

Workaholism in Academia

Academia is no exception to workaholism. Long hours of research, writing, and teaching are part of the job for many professors. This can be a great opportunity to make a real impact and progress the field, but it can also mean overworking oneself.

A 2021 State of the U.S. Teacher Survey found that 78% of surveyed faculty members felt job-related stress and burnout, which is significantly more than other employed adults nationally. And one in four teachers reported symptoms of depression. This was largely attributed to long working hours and a lack of autonomy.

Another survey was filled out by over 4,000 Norwegian university staff, including 2186 academics and 2551 technical and administrative staff. They were asked a series of questions to measure excessive and compulsive working.

• Whether they felt obligated to work even when it was not enjoyable

• Whether they felt guilty taking time off

• Whether their job was affecting the way they felt and behaved at home.

• They were also asked about the management, support, and resources in place within their university.

The results showed that academics have more traits associated with workaholics compared to non-academic staff. These people reported more conflicts between work and family life, and had higher workloads. Researchers believe that this is because the demands of the job and recent changes in the way universities are governed and managed are making things worse.

Workaholism Relationships Facts and Statistics

Workaholism can greatly affect relationships and intimacy. Workaholics may sacrifice their authentic selves to their “doing-and-performing” public persona, and this can lead to the threat of losing control and risking self-annihilation.

Intimacy requires good communication and a reciprocal sharing of power and responsibility, but ‘workaholics may struggle with this as they may be physically present but not emotionally involved’, says Barbara Killinger, Ph.D. in the same article. With a lack of flexible working hours, power struggles can ensue as workaholics assume an autonomous stance in the relationship, and the partner is left in charge of intimacy.

This can lead to blaming accusations and indifference, and can cause the trust, respect, and friendship necessary for real love to be destroyed.

Here are some of the most important stats with workaholism:

• Research conducted by the University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s Bryan Robinson has revealed that couples in which one partner is a workaholic divorce two times faster than other marriages, on average.

• A Deloitte survey we mentioned earlier says that 83 percent of respondents say burnout from work can negatively impact their personal relationships.

• 6 out of 10 couples struggle to manage their work and family commitments. 

• A U.S.A. Today Poll identified a number of things that people sacrifice to stay on top of their work. They found that after sleep (56%):

  • More than half (52%) gave up recreation and 51% skipped on hobbies

  • 44% admitted they sacrificed time with friends

  • 30% sacrificed family time

  • Families are also eating together less – back in 1987, 50% of respondents claimed they ate at least one meal with their families on a daily basis. Now, this number has plummeted to 20% of respondents by 2008 — indicating another decline in the chances for socializing with the family.

• According to the research by Andreassen et al. (2016), workaholics are two to three times more prone to having Obsessive-compulsive Disorder, Attention Deficit Disorder, depression, or anxiety than individuals who aren’t obsessed with their job. This can have a negative impact on their children due to a lack of bonding, poor communication, and difficulty in maintaining a healthy relationships. Bryan Robinson and his research team at the University of North Carolina found that this, in turn, can cause your children to suffer from higher levels of depression and anxiety, while introducing the likely possibility that they come to mimic your work-related behavior:

  • Performance-driven perfectionists who judge themselves by their accomplishments, rather than by their inherent worth

  • Outwardly focused conformists

  • Approval seekers striving to make up for self-inadequacy

  • Prone to depression

  • Self-critical and self-disparaging adults who feel unworthy and incompetent for not being able to meet others’ expectations

  • Overly serious people who have difficulty having fun

  • Prone to feelings of disloyalty and guilt for acknowledging a problem in their picture-perfect family, which, on the surface, has provided them with everything

  • Angry and resentful

  • Prone to generalized and performance anxiety

  • Unsuccessful in adult intimate relationships

  • Chameleons with an undeveloped sense of self

• Interestingly, one study did suggest that intimate relationships (with a romantic partner) may act as a ‘stress buffer’ for workaholics. The data showed that workaholics’ personal assessments of their own level of work addiction were in line with the ratings given by their spouse/partner, it played a minimal role in the relationship.

Workaholism Health Facts and Statistics

There’s a ton of negative outcomes for your physical and mental health that come with being a workaholic. Here are some of the health effects you should know.