Enemy and Ally. A Daily Diary Study on Workaholism and ICTs Appraisal

Goal and relevance: The modern workplace is rapidly evolving due to information and communication technology (ICTs). Extending the challenge-hindrance stressors theory to digitalization, ICTs can be seen as either opportunities for growth (challenges) or obstacles to performance and health (hindrances). Therefore, understanding how (and why) employees appraise ICTs as challenging or hindering is paramount. Drawing on cognitive appraisal theory, our study examines how workaholism influences ICT appraisals. Workaholism — an ambivalent individual vulnerability characterized by excessive and compulsive work — may trigger both ICT challenge and ICT hindrance appraisals by influencing key demands specifically tied to workaholism and technology: work pressure and ICT hassles. First, workaholics’ high standards and long working hours increase work pressure, driving them to rely heavily on ICTs to meet self-imposed goals; in this context, ICTs are appraised as challenges. However, since the compulsive drive to work also increases the likelihood of technical issues encountered, we expect this to undermine workaholics' need for control and perfectionism. In this context, ICTs are appraised as hindrances. Methods: Our hypotheses were tested through a daily diary study (ndays = 4; nsubjects = 720; nobservations = 2725) with a doubly latent multilevel approach. Results: Results confirm that workaholism, by increasing work pressure and ICT hassles, is positively linked to both ICT challenge and hindrance appraisals at both within- and between-person levels. Discussion: Our results highlight the dual role of ICTs for workaholics as both performance aids and stressors. On the one hand, ICTs help workaholics efficiently manage their workload and work pressures. On the other hand, ICT hassles lead to ICT hindrance appraisals, representing a loss of control and a waste of time for workaholics. Notably, a direct effect of workaholism on ICT hindrance appraisals also emerged, suggesting additional pathways (e.g., technostress, inability to disconnect) to explore in future research.