Forssa expands workplace addiction policy to include workaholism

The city of Forssa in Finland will add behavioural addictions, including workaholism and problematic social media use, to its employee substance use and addiction programme in early November, Yle reports. The policy covers about 600 employees and is intended to offer help early, not to punish or monitor staff.

The updated programme also addresses problem gambling, digital gaming, problematic internet use and compulsive buying. The city says workplace demands and pressures have changed, while phones, online shops, games and social media are increasingly accessible.

Changes in work ability that may raise concern include difficulty concentrating, frequent use of digital devices during working hours, repeated requests for salary advances, falling productivity, withdrawal and irritability. Behavioural addictions can be harder to spot than substance use because they do not show up in tests and their symptoms may be unclear.

Eija Kotikallio, a human resources specialist for the city, said the policy was prompted in part by other municipalities adopting similar measures. She said phones and social media can be enticing, and described workaholism as a concern when diligence becomes compulsive, such as repeatedly checking and rechecking tasks.

Managers should focus on observable changes, such as workdays that keep getting longer or a growing amount of overtime, Kotikallio said. They do not need to identify a diagnosis, but should raise concerns with the employee. Colleagues can also notice changes first and speak directly to someone or discuss their concerns with a manager.

The programme is based on legislation covering occupational safety, occupational health care, privacy and data protection.