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Unsustainable Working Conditions: The Association of Destructive Leadership, Use of Technology, and Workload with Workaholism and Exhaustion

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  • Monica Molino

    (Psychology Department, University of Turin, Via Verdi 10, 10124 Turin, Italy)

  • Claudio G. Cortese

    (Psychology Department, University of Turin, Via Verdi 10, 10124 Turin, Italy)

  • Chiara Ghislieri

    (Psychology Department, University of Turin, Via Verdi 10, 10124 Turin, Italy)

Abstract

Job demands typical of the current working environments and negative leadership styles may be considered unsustainable factors able to decrease workers well-being. Moreover, contrary to the idea that workaholism is an innate individual characteristic, a recent perspective considers the working context able to foster its insurgence. In order to investigate unsustainable dynamics within organizations, this study aimed at examining whether (1) destructive leadership increases workload and supplemental work supported by technology, (2) the three job demands increases workaholism, and (3) workaholism mediates their relationship with exhaustion. A convenience sample of 432 workers filled in a self-report questionnaire. The structural equation model results showed a positive relationship between destructive leadership and workload, off-work hour Technology-Assisted Job Demand (off-TAJD), and workaholism. Moreover, both workload and off-TAJD partially mediated the relationship between destructive leadership and workaholism. Finally, workaholism was a mediator between the three demands and exhaustion. The study confirmed a positive association between job demands and workaholism, and, in turn, their association with exhaustion, highlighting in particular the role of two under-investigated determinants, namely destructive leadership and off-TAJD, as unsustainable working conditions. Despite limitations, above all the cross-sectional design, this study provided useful indications for research and practice.

Suggested Citation

  • Monica Molino & Claudio G. Cortese & Chiara Ghislieri, 2019. "Unsustainable Working Conditions: The Association of Destructive Leadership, Use of Technology, and Workload with Workaholism and Exhaustion," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-14, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:2:p:446-:d:198160
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    1. Annamaria Di Fabio & José María Peiró & Isabel Rodríguez & Malgorzata Wanda Kozusznik, 2018. "The Valencia Eustress-Distress Appraisal Scale (VEDAS): Validation of the Italian Version," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-17, October.
    2. Louis Fry & Melanie Cohen, 2009. "Spiritual Leadership as a Paradigm for Organizational Transformation and Recovery from Extended Work Hours Cultures," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 84(2), pages 265-278, January.
    3. Brown, Michael E. & Trevino, Linda K. & Harrison, David A., 2005. "Ethical leadership: A social learning perspective for construct development and testing," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 97(2), pages 117-134, July.
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    1. Martina Blašková & Justyna Majchrzak-Lepczyk & Dominika Hriníková & Rudolf Blaško, 2019. "Sustainable Academic Motivation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-24, October.
    2. Valentina Dolce & Emilie Vayre & Monica Molino & Chiara Ghislieri, 2020. "Far Away, So Close? The Role of Destructive Leadership in the Job Demands–Resources and Recovery Model in Emergency Telework," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 9(11), pages 1-22, October.
    3. Ma. Janice J. Gumasing & Emil Renfred A. Rendon & Josephine D. German, 2023. "Sustainable Ergonomic Workplace: Fostering Job Satisfaction and Productivity among Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Workers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-28, September.
    4. Daniel, Carole & Gentina, Elodie & Mesmer-Magnus, Jessica, 2022. "Mindfulness buffers the deleterious effects of workaholism for work-family conflict," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 306(C).
    5. Emanuela Ingusci & Fulvio Signore & Claudio Giovanni Cortese & Monica Molino & Paola Pasca & Enrico Ciavolino, 2023. "Development and validation of the Remote Working Benefits & Disadvantages scale," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 57(2), pages 1159-1183, April.
    6. Rosy Musumeci & Chiara Ghislieri, 2020. "Some Voices from Italian Youth on Well-Being: How to Cope with Job Insecurity?," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-19, April.
    7. Morkevičiūtė Modesta & Endriulaitienė Auksė, 2021. "A Systematic Review of the Factors Determining Workaholism: The Role of an Organisation," Management of Organizations: Systematic Research, Sciendo, vol. 85(1), pages 33-46, June.
    8. Monica Molino & Emanuela Ingusci & Fulvio Signore & Amelia Manuti & Maria Luisa Giancaspro & Vincenzo Russo & Margherita Zito & Claudio G. Cortese, 2020. "Wellbeing Costs of Technology Use during Covid-19 Remote Working: An Investigation Using the Italian Translation of the Technostress Creators Scale," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-20, July.
    9. Hyosun Kim & Yunlu Chen & Hyewon Kong, 2019. "Abusive Supervision and Organizational Citizenship Behavior: The Mediating Role of Networking Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-18, December.
    10. Antonino Callea & Dalila De Rosa & Giovanni Ferri & Francesca Lipari & Marco Costanzi, 2019. "Are More Intelligent People Happier? Emotional Intelligence as Mediator between Need for Relatedness, Happiness and Flourishing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-12, February.
    11. Yasuhiro Kotera & Robert Maxwell-Jones & Ann-Marie Edwards & Natalie Knutton, 2021. "Burnout in Professional Psychotherapists: Relationships with Self-Compassion, Work–Life Balance, and Telepressure," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(10), pages 1-12, May.
    12. Octavian Dospinescu & Nicoleta Dospinescu, 2020. "Workaholism in IT: An Analysis of the Influence Factors," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-12, November.
    13. Modesta Morkevičiūtė & Auksė Endriulaitienė, 2023. "The Role of an Individual and a Situation in Explaining Work Addiction: Disclosing Complex Relations," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-22, March.

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