Why Many Workers Identify as Workaholics, Despite Knowing the Health Risks of Overtime

Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared on Monster.

As discussions about burnout and work-life balance continue, long hours remain the norm for all employees. Monster’s Workaholics Report finds that for many full-time workers, working more than 40 hours a week is not the exception but the norm. In fact, most workers now describe themselves as extremely unprofessional.

Based on a national survey of more than 800 full-time workers, the findings suggest that overwork is often shaped by workplace culture and expectations, even when it does not improve performance.

Although long hours are widely accepted, the personal and professional costs are hard to ignore.

Key findings

• Workaholism is rampant: 76% of full-time workers consider themselves at least somewhat workaholics and 45% say they are definitely workaholics.
• Typical long hours: 73% of workers regularly report working more than 40 hours a week
• More hours do not equal better work: 80% of workers say that working more than 40 hours does not improve the quality of their work
• Culture contributes to overwork: Almost half of employees (47%) say employer expectations or company culture are the top reasons they are overworked
• Burnout affects health and well-being: 85% of workers report negative mental or physical health effects due to overwork

Workaholism is now part of the normal working life

Working hours are getting longer, and for many workers, the workaholic label is not seen as a negative. According to Monster’s report, many people spend more hours than the usual 40 hours a week, and many do not see it as a problem.

In the survey, 76% of workers said they are at least somewhat workaholic. This includes 45% who say they are definitely workaholics.

When asked how they would feel if someone called them a workaholic, nearly two-thirds said the label would make them feel positive or neutral. 35% said they would feel praised, 27% respected, and 38% neutral about this time. Very few said they would feel disrespected or disrespected.

This suggests that overwork has become more socially acceptable, even if it is associated with stress and burnout.

Most workers work more than 40 hours a week

Working long hours has become the norm for many. When asked about their average weekly hours worked, here is what employees reported:

• 35-39 hours: 11%
• 40 hours: 16%
• Hours 41-45: 22%
• 46-50 hours: 18%
• 51-55 hours: 11%
• 56-60 hours: 11%
• more than 60 hours: 11%

That means nearly three-quarters of workers report working more than the average 40-hour week.

Why overtime has become the norm

The reasons employees give for overworking point to culture and expectations rather than choice. Here’s how employees responded when asked what drives the tendency to work hard:

• Employer expectations or company culture: 47%
• Personal desire or desire to improve: 44%
• Lack of boundaries between work and personal life: 31%
• Financial pressures: 28%
• Fear of losing a job or being laid off: 25%

This mix of external and internal drivers shows that many employees feel pressured by the workplace itself and their goals.

Long hours do not increase productivity for many

A key finding of the report is that longer hours are not linked to better quality of work. Among workers who work more than a 40-hour week:

• 64% say the quality of their work has not changed
• 16% say their work quality is declining
• 20% say quality is improving

This suggests that overtime may not bring the value that many workers believe they will get from putting in overtime.

Overworking has real consequences

While long hours may feel familiar, the impact on employees is significant. When asked about the effects of overwork:

• 50% reported mental health challenges such as depression, anxiety, or burnout
• 49% reported physical health impacts including disrupted sleep or reduced exercise
• 39% said their relationship is bad
• Only 15% said they had no negative impact

More than a third (38%) of workers also said they felt a lot of pressure to be available outside of scheduled working hours.

What job seekers and employees should know

If you’re entering, re-entering, or advancing into the workforce, this report highlights a few key trends:

• Clarify expectations: Before accepting a role, ask about typical hours and what the work-life balance looks like. If the culture values ​​availability, be aware that this may affect your schedule.
• Set limits: If overwork is common in your workplace, identify times when you can protect your personal time and communicate the boundaries clearly.
• Focus on results: If the extra hours don’t improve your output, consider what goals or performance signals are most important to your team and employer.
• Check your priorities: Work that feels meaningful is important but not at the expense of health or relationships. Know what changes you are willing to make.

Bottom line

Long hours and addictive work habits are now the norm for many workers. Although dedication to your work can be good, working long hours does not necessarily improve your performance and can have a negative impact on your health and well-being outside of work.

Understanding how overwork affects your work and what you can control can help you find greater balance in your professional life.

How to do it

The report’s findings are based on a survey conducted by Monster in October 2025 among 807 US full-time employees.

Participants answered a mix of yes/no, single-choice, and multiple-choice questions about their experiences with overwork and the impact on productivity, health, and personal life.

The sample included workers in different types of industries, age groups, genders, and education levels to reflect the diversity of the US workforce.