Under-pressure workers putting in the hours

ALMOST 50 per cent of Australians work more than a typical eight-hour day, according to a global study into working hours, while more than 40 per cent regularly take work home with them.

The report, ‘From Dedication to Medication’, by workplace solutions firm Regus, revealed only a low 13 per cent of Australian workers don’t take work home with them, while nearly three quarters (72 per cent) take some work home at least once a week.

The survey of more than 12,000 people interviewed from more than 80 countries also found that 48 per cent of workers in small businesses take work home with them at least three times a week. This is significantly more than those in large companies at 38 per cent. 

However, those in large companies (59 per cent) are 13 per cent more likely to work nine or more hours a day compared to those in SMEs. 

The survey found that 41 per cent of Australian workers usually work between nine to 11 hours every day, compared to 38 per cent of workers globally.

The 72 per cent of Australians who take work home with them at least once a week is above the global average, and above those in the UK (67 per cent), Japan (54 per cent) and India (67 per cent). The figure is behind only Canada (80 per cent), the US (78 per cent) and the Netherlands (75 per cent).

Australians are working longer hours than those in the UK, the US, Canada and China, but fewer than those in France, India and Brazil.

Remote workers globally are more likely to work 11-hour days (14 per cent), compared to fixed office workers (6 per cent). They are also more likely to take tasks home to complete (59 per cent) than fixed office workers (26 per cent).

Regus regional vice-president Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia William Willems said the findings suggested that, despite the Australian economy showing greater resilience than the rest of the world, local workers and businesses were feeling the pressure.

“They have heavy workloads and they are doing extra hours to meet deadlines. This may be to ensure job security or increase remuneration,” he said. 

“Furthermore, with the proliferation of new technologies and changing lifestyle choices, the ways in which people are working is also changing. 

“The challenge for employers is to create ways to ensure staff can adopt a healthy a work-life balance – reducing stress and maximising productivity.

“Working conditions and hours have also been found to vary depending on the environment and size of the company. Workers in larger companies are more likely to stay in the office for longer.

“This could be attributed to the greater support networks available and a stronger sense of community; while in contrast, small business workers are adopting a more flexible approach in the ways they work, at home and in their own time.”

Mr Willems said that, in Australia, it had recently been found that people who suffer from stress or other mental conditions on the job are taking five or more sick days off in a row.

“Businesses should consider options that let their employees work in ways that best suit their needs, like working from locations closer to home,” he said.

“This can offset the stress of a poor work-life balance and encourage more productive and committed staff. As businesses continue to feel the pressure in these tough economic times, it’s vital they look after their most valuable resource – their staff.”