Working Extended Hours? You’re Not Alone

According to a recent global survey conducted by Regus, a provider of flexible workspaces, one in two workers in the U.S. work well over eight hours a day and more than half regularly take work home with them.

Remote Work Does Not Mean Less Work

The study polled more than 12,000 business people in 85 countries and found extended working hours to be the new norm.  Regus attributes this to a tight job market with fewer resources at employees’ disposal, and employees’ desire to keep and excel in their jobs.  Some of the more interesting findings included:

• 35 percent of U.S. workers usually work between nine to eleven hours every day compared to 38 percent of global workers.
• 11 percent of workers in the U.S. and 10 percent globally regularly work more than eleven hours a day.
• 56 percent of U.S. workers take work home to finish at the end of the day more than three times a week compared to 43 percent globally.
• 14 percent of remoter workers globally are more likely to work eleven hour days than fixed office workers.
• 59 percent of remote workers globally are likely to take work home with them compared to fixed office workers.
• 13 percent of U.S. workers in small businesses were three times more likely to work eleven hour days than large business employees.

“This study finds a clear blurring of the line between work and home,” claimed Regus.  “In the U.S., where the American Institute of Stress reports that coronary heart disease is much more frequent in individuals experiencing high levels of job related stress, the long-term effects of this over-working could be damaging both to workers’ health and to overall productivity as workers drive themselves too hard and become disaffected, depressed or even physically ill.”

But Don’t Abandon Remote Work

Although the study found that remote employees worked longer hours, telework has been shown to produce higher job satisfaction, higher productivity, and lower stress levels.  Therefore, one might conclude that by allowing your team members to work from more convenient locations and operate more independently, you might mitigate the negative impact of a longer work day.

About Alexandra Levit

Alexandra Levit’s goal is to help people find meaningful jobs - quickly and simply - and to succeed beyond measure once they get there. Follow her @alevit.