Love for work can strengthen physical health, scientists have discovered

Scientists from the University of Alberta have established that employees who genuinely love their work have better physical health indicators and lower levels of anxiety and depression. The results of the study were published in the journal Human Resource Management (HRM).

Scientists tracked the physical and mental health status of more than 1,800 participants across eight studies. Subjects completed questionnaires on three work contexts: passion for work tasks, genuine closeness with colleagues, and true dedication to the organization.

"For a participant to be classified as loving their work, all three factors must be present simultaneously. An employee who loves their work but does not feel connected to colleagues, or who gets along well with the team but has emotionally distanced themselves from the organization, does not fully meet the criteria," the scientists clarified.

The team investigated how often participants experienced sleep problems, headaches, stomach disorders, and susceptibility to illness in general. Participants who scored high on the love of work scale showed a decrease in the frequency of these conditions. Subjects from this group also arrived late less often and took fewer extended breaks from work activities.

Additionally, employees who love their work also reported lower levels of anxiety and depression, and this pattern persisted across several studies and different time periods.

"Employees with high attachment to work also did not show a greater tendency toward workaholism or violation of ethical standards in the workplace. Deep attachment to work does not appear to develop into obsessive behavior or burnout," the researchers concluded.