This Research Topic is the second volume of the Research Topic "Heavy-Work Investment: Divergent Perspectives". Please see the first volume
here.
The concept of Heavy Work Investment (HWI) has recently gained attention in scholarly work, particularly due to the evolving nature of work in developed countries where an increasing number of employees invest more hours into their jobs than they desire. HWI is broadly defined as the intensity of time and effort invested in work. Research has identified two primary dimensions within HWI: workaholism, which includes both behavioral (working excessively) and cognitive (working compulsively) aspects, and work engagement, which refers to a positive relationship with and absorption in one’s work. Another research tradition has examined HWI through the lenses of time commitment and work intensity, which share similarities with job engagement or job involvement. Despite these advancements, there remains a gap in understanding how these various operationalizations of HWI relate to employee commitment, a construct developed along a separate research stream. This gap underscores the need for further investigation to clarify the different measures of HWI and their implications.
This research topic aims to advance our understanding of HWI by addressing several key questions. Specifically, it seeks to define the construct domain of HWI, exploring whether it comprises affective, behavioral, and/or cognitive components and how these dimensions complement each other. Additionally, this research topic aims to determine whether HWI should be considered a higher-order multidimensional construct and, if so, whether it is a superordinate or aggregate construct. The goal is to identify relevant dimensions that should be retained as reflections of HWI and to establish specific inclusion criteria for these dimensions. Furthermore, this research topic will investigate whether HWI, as a higher-order construct, explains variance in work outcomes beyond that explained by its first-order factors, and whether the antecedents of HWI exert a similar influence across its dimensions. Finally, this research topic will examine the influence of personality traits versus situational factors on the development of HWI and its dimensions.
To gather further insights into the boundaries of HWI, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
- The construct domain of HWI and its components
- The classification of HWI as a higher-order multidimensional construct
- The relevant dimensions and inclusion criteria for HWI
- The explanatory power of HWI in work outcomes
- The influence of antecedents on HWI dimensions
- The role of personality traits versus situational factors in the development of HWI
- Reviews of the HWI literature and its implications