ID:
Abstract
Working long hours has become an increasingly prevalent trend in industrialized countries. However, this habit may impact individuals’ mental and physical well-being negatively by causing stress, fatigue, depression, and by increasing the risk of stroke and premature death. The present report was completed at the request of a well-known advertising company and its purpose is to illustrate the potential benefits of implementing a policy which would help reducing the number of working hours, and making recommendations on how such a policy should be best implemented.
Introduction
Current legislation in most industrialized countries establishes an upper limit of 40 working hours per week (Hein, 2005). However, in many companies, employees are likely to work overtime. For example, in Australia, only 36.5 percent of the workforce works a standard week (Hein, 2005). This report was requested by a well-known advertising company, whose representatives are concerned about the long hours work culture which seems to be rising within the company. Its purpose is to highlight the benefits of working fewer hours as compared to working overtime for individuals’ health. The report is informed by books and journal articles written by specialists in the field.
Findings
Health Effects of Long Working Hours
Mental and Physical Health Issues
Researchers have found a series of mental and physical health issues associated with long working hours. Mental health may be impacted by the trend of working long hours. Because of sacrificing family and social life in favor of long working hours, employers are likely to experience mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation (Cooper, Goswami, Sahakian, 2010).
Furthermore, employees who work more than the accepted 40 hours rate have higher chances to experience heart problems. In a recent study on the matter, the researchers found that that “individuals who work 55 h or more per week have a 1·3-times higher risk of incident stroke than those working standard hours” (Kivimaki et al. 2015, p.1743). The risk of coronary disease can further lead to premature mortality. In a report from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), it was found that longer working hours can lead to increased risks of premature death, as shown below:
Source: Henry, A. 2014. Working long hours is hazardous to your health and your productivity. Life Hacker. Retrieved from: http://lifehacker.com/working-long-hours-is-hazardous-to-your-health-and-your-1542562871
Indirect Health Risks
If an employee suffers of fatigue, he or she may not be able to focus on the task, and may become more likely to experience reduced performance. (Cooper, Goswami, Sahakian, 2010). Furthermore, “long working hours indirectly cause workplace accidents through secondary effects such as fatigue and stress” (Cooper, Goswami & Sahakian, 2010, p. 693). Long-term excessive working hours may lead to work-related stress because of the pressure the worker is subject to (Cooper, Goswami, Sahakian, 2010).
Causes for Longer Work Hours
The culture of long working hours comes from the cultural belief that hard work is virtuous (Burke & Fiksenbaum, 2008). According to Burke and Fiksenbaum(2008), workers may choose to work long hours for positive reasons, such as more pay, self-actualization, or work enjoyment, but also, due to negative reasons, such as avoiding sanctions, or meeting the employer’s productivity expectations.
Furthermore, research indicates that some employees may be driven by the desire to perfect their professional skills, or to advance in their careers, by showing their superior that they are committed to their work (Burke & Fiksenbaum, 2008). Companies may encourage employers to work overtime in order to increase the competitiveness of the company.
Policies For Reducing Work Hours in Large Companies
Examples from different companies show how working hours can be efficiently reduced. One company identified the existence of a “macho-long-hours culture”. The company helped managers to acquire more flexible schedules, and also changed the company’s culture in order to emphasize the quality of output, rather than the number of hours worked (Hein, 2005).
Another company introduced a “no-meeting Friday”, twice a month, which allowed the employees to catch up with their paperwork, so as to avoid having to work overtime (Hein 134). Furthermore, in light of recent technological advancements, it becomes easier to avoid travel and long office hours by taking into consideration remote working options (Cooper, Goswami, Sahakian, 2010).
Conclusion
Long working hours are likely to lead to mental and physical health problems and they are associated with premature death, in particular, because of strokes. Employees may want to work overtime to increase their finances, or to advance in their careers. However, they may also feel pressured by the workload, or by the competitiveness of their work environment. It is possible to find effective solutions to change the long working hour culture of the company. The data shows some negative outcomes of reducing the working hours, but the company is interested in the multiple health benefits for the employees.
Recommendations
Employees must become aware of the multiple health effects of working long hours. A list of side effects should be placed on the offices’ walls, where employers may see it in order to convince them to be more responsible regarding overtime. Other such written persuasive messages may include posters with persuasive messages which encourage employees to go home, or take a break when they feel exhausted.
For many employees, working long hours is determined by financial benefits, or by the desire to advance in their careers. Superiors must emphasize that the quality of work is much more important than the number of hours which is spent at work, which is a policy that has been employed by other companies as well. Establishing bonuses for important contributions, and refraining from praising the employees who work for extra hours may be beneficial in order to reduce the number of extra hours spent at work.
Employees may feel pressured to work for long hours because of the competitiveness of the working environment or because they cannot keep up with the workload. The management may want to hire more people in order to reduce the workload in the office, or they can hire assistants for the employers who have too much work to do and regularly work overtime as a result.
The management may allow the employers to come to work part-time on Saturdays. This alternative can solve many of the issues identified in the findings. It releases the pressure to work overtime during weekdays due to workload, it gives ambitious employees the possibility to earn more, or to perfect their skills and it also increases the competitiveness of the company, without endangering the health of the employees.
Reference List
Burke, R. & Fiksenbaum, L. (2008). Work hours, work intensity, and work addiction: costs and benefits. In R. Burke & C. Cooper (eds). The Long Work Hours Culture: Causes, Consequences and Choices. 3-37. Bingley, UK: Emerald Group Publishing.
Cooper, C., Goswami, U., & Sjakian, B. 2010. Mental capital and wellbeing. Ames, Iowa: Willey-Blackwell.
Hein, C. 2005. Reconciling work and family responsibilities. Practical ideas from global experience. International Labor Organization.
Henry, A. 2014. Working long hours is hazardous to your health and your productivity. Life Hacker. Retrieved from: http://lifehacker.com/working-long-hours-is-hazardous-to-your-health-and-your-1542562871
Kivimaki, M. et. al.2015. Long working hours and risk of coronary heart disease and stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis of published and unpublished data for 603 838 individuals. Lancet. 386:1739-1746.
