Overwork

Causes of Overwork

The precise reasons for overwork are highly debatable. Structural changes such as labor demands may lead to the need for increases in the number of hours worked for some employees. In other words, there is simply more work that needs to be done. Likewise, some employers require overtime hours because this practice can be less costly for the organization than hiring additional workers. This explanation suggests that regardless of the needs or desires of workers, overtime and overwork are necessary to maintain a job because employers demand it.

Others who study working time have suggested that there has simply been a shift in values. In recent decades, more people believe they must work to succeed. For most individuals, success requires them to maintain a job, be a productive worker, and get a paycheck. This most often means they have to work more hours. There are limited opportunities to work fewer hours and remain successful. Therefore, according to this view, overwork is a means to an end; it is the result of people wanting more.

Consequences for Overworked Employees

The implications of overwork are considerable for employers and workers. Given the variations in working hours around the world, perhaps John de Graaf characterizes overwork most accurately as the point at which fatigue and stress reach a threshold leading to increased risk of errors, accidents, injuries, and performance declines. The potential work-related implications associated with overwork, such as performance declines and decreased productivity, are clearly negative outcomes for employers. However, workers may suffer the consequences of overwork in ways that spill over beyond the workplace.

Overworked employees often report mental and physical health outcomes that include sleep deprivation, stress-related illness, and depression.

...