"Dad, you came home late from the office last night. What makes you excited to go to work today?" I froze.
A question I should have asked myself every single day of my over 13 years in this organization. I could have easily blurted out: "Son, it's another day of ____?" (Fill in the blank, dear readers). The blank suspended my train of thought.
Seriously, I feel like a zombie. Heading off to ZombieLand. Meeting but not interacting with other zombies. Depressed, sometimes. Bored, often. It’s the same every day, week after week. And the traffic doesn't help.
This zombie-like feeling is a sign of overworking—some call it workaholism, others burnout. It’s achieving “comfort” in repeating processes that should have led to improved efficiency and less effort over time, but didn’t! It’s leading to burnout. Other symptoms are there, too: sleep disorders (insomnia), feeling distracted with every task, a weakened immune system, lack of energy for simple tasks, mood swings with negative self-talk, difficulties balancing a social and work life, among many others.
The Health Risks
Recently, WHO highlighted overworking as a critical occupational health risk. Working long hours significantly increases the risk of severe health issues. People who work 55 or more hours per week face a 35% higher risk of stroke and a 17% higher risk of dying from heart disease compared to those who work the standard 35-40 hours weekly.
Alarming Statistics
In a related study in 2016 alone, ILO estimated that overwork has caused (directly or otherwise) the deaths of more than 745,000 people due to stroke and heart disease. This global study marked a disturbing rise in such fatalities, with deaths from heart disease due to long working hours increasing by 42% and strokes by 19% between 2000 and 2016.
Disease and death caused by long working hours is most prevalent in Southeast Asia, which bears the unfortunate burden of having 318,819 deaths in 2016 caused by overworking. The Western Pacific region follows with 208,476 deaths. These two regions made up over two thirds of all deaths caused by long hours in 2016, far more than other regions like Europe, both of the Americas, and Africa.
Post-Pandemic Impact
The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated these trends. With the rise of remote work and the gig economy, the boundaries between work and home life have blurred. As a result, many workers have found themselves putting in longer hours, often working late into the evening and weekends. Microsoft’s studies show a 200% increase in weekend work messages during the pandemic, a pattern that has now become normal.
The Overworking Problem
Overworking describes an inability to disconnect from work, leading to a detrimental impact on one’s life, relationships, and health. It’s not just about the number of hours worked but the inability to switch off mentally. This phenomenon, while not a clinical diagnosis, has significant negative consequences for both employees and the organizations they work for.
TheChallenge
Organizations often resist changing a culture of overwork, especially if it has historically led to success. However, this approach is ultimately unsustainable and harmful. It’s crucial for organizations to recognize the need for change and take proactive steps to address this issue. What can OD professionals do?
Some Baby Steps
The health risks associated with overworking are clear and severe. It’s time for organizations to take responsibility and implement changes that protect their workers’ health and well-being. By doing so, they can create a more sustainable and productive work environment that benefits everyone. No job is worth risking your health, and it’s up to businesses to ensure that their employees don’t have to make that choice.
1. Acknowledge the Problem: The first step is for leadership to recognize that a culture of overwork is detrimental.
2. Develop a Plan: Create a strategy to shift away from overworking. This could involve setting clear boundaries for work hours, encouraging regular breaks, and promoting a healthy work-life balance.
3. Implement Change: Execute the plan with commitment from all levels of the organization. This may include training for managers to support their teams better and tools to help employees manage their workloads effectively.
Karochi in Japan: Japan's teachers vulnerable to overwork deaths | DW News
NOTES
Source: Bill Chappell, NPR, Overwork Killed More Than 745,000 People In A Year, WHO Study Finds, https://www.npr.org/2021/05/17/997462169/thousands-of-people-are-dying-from-working-long-hours-a-new-who-study-finds
WHO and ILO, Long working hours increasing deaths from heart disease and stroke,https://www.who.int/news/item/17-05-2021-long-working-hours-increasing-deaths-from-heart-disease-and-stroke-who-ilo.
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