There’s an increasingly worrying culture of overworking and it’s very problematic…
In the last few years, overworking and going above and beyond seems to have become glorified and seen as an acceptable lifestyle. Never switching-off and always being on-call seems to be the new norm, or at least something that’s seen as desirable and inspirational.
Whilst it might seem that working tirelessly for jobs or careers makes people feel important and professional, it’s actually very damaging, and leaves little to no room for employees to look after their mental wellbeing, or develop a life outside of work.
Previously we’ve discussed stress, burnout, and all things wellbeing, and at UKIM Occupational Health & Wellbeing, we take promoting a positive and healthy workplace culture very seriously. Seeing working patterns developing like this is concerning, and shows why there’s still so much that must be done when it comes to tackling stigmas around mental wellbeing to shape a healthier workforce.
Overworking, whether it be extensive hours or having a heavy workload, is a huge contributing factor towards burnout. It can lead to employees feeling rundown, frustrated, upset, and disengaged. Those who are experiencing symptoms of stress and burnout can also experience appetite changes, stomach pains, and headaches, etc. It’s been evident over the years that poor working practices have a huge impact on mental health, and can often lead to a poor health situation when the stress becomes too much.
It's important that employees take breaks and don’t overwork - this will help to reduce instances of poor mental health, and actually help to retain staff as part of a productive and healthy workforce. In the long run, overworking and having an intense working culture tends to have the opposite effect that it aims for - this usually results in an increase of absences due to poor mental and physical health.
Overworked employees will have lower productivity and focus as they’ll feel rundown and exhausted. Not managing employee’s mental and physical health can lead to more serious problems - looked at holistically, the trendy culture of overworking is futile and simply causing bigger problems down the line, ultimately contributing to the UK’s already sick economy.
Monitoring workloads and focusing on employee’s wellbeing at work is a far more effective strategy to promote productivity, increase retention and recruitment, and have a happy and healthy workforce.
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