10 signs your staff are workaholics

Is it just me, or has the beginning of 2014 seemed incredibly stressful and overwhelming?

I’ve always been a huge advocate of not staying at work late, and not coming in too early unless there’s something pressing to do, but these days more and more of my time is being spent in front of my computer.

A workaholic I am not, but it definitely got me thinking about those people (we all know at least one) who are, and what you might be able to do to help them cope with work and, well, with life in general.

1. They wake up and jump on their phones to email you

Emails do not need to be answered at 5.30am. They really, really don’t.

Make them stop by telling them you don’t want (or need) to hear from them until they’re in the office, unless it really is something urgent. They might have a panic attack that you think they’re not working hard enough, but assure them you’re happy with their work… from 9am.

2. They dream about work, and nothing but work

They wake up with a sore jaw from clenching their teeth with anxiety all night. Or perhaps they find themselves being jolted awake by a dream sequence that involves emails… and paper work…. and meetings… and more meetings… and your boss yelling at you…. and endless profit and loss statements….

3. They work most weekends

This is employee #1: “Yeah, I’m planning on joining those guys for dinner, but I might be a bit late because I have to swing by the office for a couple of hours first.”

This is employee #2: “Yeah, I’m going to that barbeque, but I might be a bit late because I have to swing by the office for a couple of hours first.”

This is employee #3: “Yeah, my wife just had a baby. I wasn’t actually there for the birth because I had to swing by the office for a couple of hours first.”

4. They aim to do everything themselves

Workaholics don’t delegate, because they typically like to take control and don’t like giving that up to someone else when they can probably do it best themselves. Yes, they are perfectionists, too.

5. All they talk about is work

Newsflash! Your friends are BORED with hearing you complain/brag/moan/gossip about work-related stuff. Stop it. Talk about something normal like how awesome House of Cards is or the fact that your wife just had a baby. Yeah, you didn’t notice she had a baby, did you? Too busy talking about work.

6. They take a holiday, except they don’t really

They become that person on the beach with their phone or iPad, tapping away and making frowny faces at the screen because they’re so busy, and just have to get this one last spreadsheet completed.

Everyone at the beach is having fun, except them. When they come back from holiday, they say they “didn’t do much”. This is why. Don’t let them be that person.

7. They’re the first in, and the last out

This is pretty typical behaviour in Singapore from employees or managers who want to appear as though they are the hardest working of the bunch. Sometimes they might be, other times it’s all just appearances.

Being the first in and the last out of the office does nothing except make staff tired and give them square eyes. If you don’t need them to be at work, make sure they leave!

8. They don’t value anything in their lives except how good they are at their job

If this is one of your staff members, you need to help them gain some perspective – stat. There is more to life than how good someone is at their job, and there is a lot more than work which adds value to them as a person.

9. They work through every lunch break in some capacity

Crumbs all over the keyboard and rubbish bins stuffed with food wrappers tends to give that away.

10. They have no hobbies

If their favourite hobby is “working” then yes, they are a workaholic.