Workaholism and workaholism: No gain for companies
// BySimone Janson

Workaholism, to German addiction, is widespread in our society. The problem is that this drug enjoys the highest social recognition. But unlike many bosses, these workhorses are not profitable for businesses.

Why do so many people cling to work addiction?

The main reason why, despite many obvious disadvantages, so many people hold on to their job addiction as they do to a loved item of clothing is its social standing.

Most perfectionist behaviors are positively documented in modern everyday work. Traits such as ambition, ambition, fighting spirit, sense of order or organizational skills are considered excellent qualities for a career. Because without hard work you can't achieve a price, right? Above all, these people give the impression of being particularly productive and thus appear to be the ideal performers. After all, whoever gives 200 percent must be successful - right? So are perfectionists the born success people who are guaranteed a place on the management level of the company?

Work addiction - the tolerated addiction?

While addictions such as hard drugs or alcohol are ostracized by society, work addiction, so-called workaholism, is of high social standing, is considered normal and is often even wanted by companies. That is why it is so difficult to admit that the corresponding behavior patterns are harmful and to change something about them.

Appearance is deceptive, because perfectionism not only has advantages, but also a number of disadvantages that can become a problem in everyday working life. Aspiration can be positive, but it doesn't help you to stick to high expectations or to cling to unsolvable problems. The sense of order is also commendable; However, if you waste your time working with pedantry and are too concerned with details instead of having an eye on the overall result, you will never get the results that your superiors expect from you.

Hamster wheel instead of career ladder

Numerous studies from occupational psychology clearly demonstrate: Contrary to the assumption of many people, perfectionism is often not the basis for excellent professional results and outstanding careers.

Perfectionists are often busier than calmer natures and can therefore be very successful for a certain period of time. Because such people also inspire themselves in stressful situations. With the stress hormones adrenaline and noradrenaline, which are released in the adrenal cortex, these stress junkies whip themselves to peak performance. In this way, they are extremely successful in devoting themselves to important tasks - at least for a short time. But what happens then?

How does stress arise?

The typical stress reaction is a remnant from the Stone Age, when we humans had to choose between flight and fight in sudden dangerous situations. The body not only releases stress hormones, it also speeds up breathing, improves blood flow to certain muscles and releases additional energy from the liver's sugar stores. The problem with this, however, is: In order to become efficient through this reaction, our organism simultaneously shuts down all other processes that it does not need at the moment - such as appetite, digestion, immune system, communication skills. In the cerebrum, the seat of consciousness, the release of the"happiness hormone" serotonin is increased, while in the diencephalon and stem brain, which is responsible for the unconscious regulation of breathing and blood pressure, it is decreased. This redistribution increases the willingness to react more quickly but without thinking about it. Aggression and impulsiveness are also increased.

The Stone Age stress program, which was previously absolutely necessary for survival, is not necessarily helpful in modern everyday work. Because today, if you want to be successful, you are less dependent on your physical strength than on your communication skills and your ability to make long-term strategic decisions. Perfectionists, who are naturally more susceptible to external stressors and who constantly put pressure on themselves with their high demands, curtail these important success factors themselves: Those who are constantly stressed make mistakes more often.

Stress is a hindrance for complex tasks

Especially when it comes to tasks that require complex judgments and accuracy, the perfectionist hectic people quickly fall behind because they find it difficult to concentrate. And not infrequently, they have to use the time saved afterwards to iron out mistakes that would not have occurred with some quiet thinking. So the supposed productivity advantage is really none at all.

In addition, perfectionists tend to hinder productivity in work groups and team projects in many cases. They often do not know their own limits or those of others. On the contrary, because they believe they can work incessantly themselves, they try to force this rhythm on others too. Since many perfectionists also act with the awareness that they are the measure of all things when it comes to work, specialist knowledge and organizational skills, they basically want to set the tone. At the same time, they mistrust their colleagues or employees and want to control even the smallest work steps themselves. Perfectionists can indeed drive other employees excellently and thus “motivate” them to perform better in the short term, but with their hostile behavior they sooner or later destroy the motivation of every team - and thus also its efficiency.

Workaholics - no gain for the company

Research shows that perfectionist workaholics can bring a company short-term profit, but in the long-term it is eaten up by the many times higher financial damage caused by mistakes, employee turnover and inefficient work.

For these reasons, perfectionists are anything but ideal superiors. Because they often lack the foresight for long-term strategic decisions and their management style is more likely to sow fear and dissatisfaction a