Biting Off More Than You Can Chew At Work: Developing The Culturally Imposed Ideals of Hard and Excessive Work (chew) Scale

Authors:

Hsuan-Che (brad) Huang Sauder School of Business, University of British Columbia
Canada
Orcid: 0000-0003-4777-6634

Friedrich Götz University of British Columbia
Canada
Orcid: 0000-0001-8900-6844

Lieke Ten Brummelhuis Beedie School of Business, Simon Fraser University
Canada
Orcid: 0000-0002-8164-1349

Abstract: Existing research suggests that differences in working styles (e.g., working diligently, working excessive hours) are primarily due to individual traits, such as workaholism and work ethic. However, cultural-level values and beliefs about work also shape work patterns. This research advances a cultural perspective, arguing that variations in how hard and excessively individuals work can also be explained by the pressure of societal values of work. To capture the work ideals that individuals might feel are imposed on them by their national culture, we introduce culturally imposed work ideals, and differentiate between the extent to which individuals perceive that their culture values (a) hard work (i.e., efficiency, quality, and wise use of time) and (b) excessive work (i.e., duration, quantity, and prioritizing work at all times). We develop and validate the Cultural Hard and Excessive Work (CHEW) Scale across six diverse Canadian and American samples (N = 1,902) of full-time employees, business undergraduates, and MBA students as well as alumni. Psychometric results support the reliability and validity of the two dimensions of CHEW. As expected, the cultural ideal of hard work predicts beneficial employee outcomes, such as lower cynicism and higher work engagement, above and beyond existing cultural-, organizational-, and individual-level predictors. Meanwhile, the cultural ideal of excessive work is consistently associated with detrimental consequences, including higher emotional exhaustion, lower job satisfaction and well-being, and impaired physical health. We discuss theoretical and practical implications, emphasizing the fundamental distinction between hard and excessive work ideals that individuals might hold based on their cultural milieu.

Track: CULTGEN

Keywords: Cultural Work Ideals, Excessive Work, Hard Work, Measurement and Scale Development, Work Ethic, Workaholism