Examining the effect of obsessive compulsive symptom levels of employees on attitudes and behaviors towards work

This study aims to examine the relationships between the obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptom level of the employees and the levels of workaholism, work stress, interpersonal conflict, and workload. In this direction, the quantitative research method is used. A questionnaire consisting of the Padua OCD symptoms scale, the Bergen work addiction scale, the work stress scale, the workload scale, and the interpersonal conflict scale at work and questions measuring socio-demographic characteristics were used to collect the data. In the research, data were collected by online and face-to-face methods. A total of 1028 employees from different sectors participated in the research. The data were analyzed with internal consistency, frequency, Independent Samples T-Test, Anova, factor, correlation, and regression analyses. Data were analyzed at a 95% confidence interval. According to the research findings, there are positive, low-strength. Statistically, significant relationships were obtained between OCD and workaholism, work stress, interpersonal conflict, and workload. Also, a positive relationship was found between sub-dimensions of OCD (thinking, cleanliness, control, impulses, certainty) and workaholism, work stress, interpersonal conflict, and workload. The thinking sub-dimension exhibited the most robust relationship, while the cleanliness sub-dimension exhibited the weakest. In the effect of OCD's sub-dimensions as independent variables on workaholism, work stress, interpersonal conflict, and workload within the scope of multiple regression analysis, the sub-dimension of thinking had the strongest effect, followed by the sub-dimension of impulses. In multiple regression analysis, the effect of other dimensions of OCD weakened and mostly became meaningless. OCD was found to be higher in women, singles, and private sector employees. A negative and weak relationship was obtained between OCD and income, age, and tenure. The most prominent finding obtained in the study is that OCD symptom levels negatively affect the attitudes and behaviors of employees towards work in general. In particular, the dimension of thinking is the dimension of OCD that leads to the most damaging results. This is the first study in Turkey in which OCD is examined in the context of working life with a wide range of variables and data sets. The study is expected to increase awareness of the study of OCD in the context of work-life.