Overworked Employees

Overworked Employees can Hurt Your Company

Advancements in technology and the popularity of “working hard” has made it extremely simple for employees to earn extra dollars by adding hour upon hour to their scheduled shifts.  Unfortunately, though, as good as it may be for the pocketbook, overworked employees are becoming a real issue in today’s workplace, and when it gets to that point, just because the employee is working harder, it doesn’t mean that s/he is working better.  As it turns out, increased workloads that lead to overworked employees usually do more harm than good both to the individual and the business.

With the internet, Blackberries, cellular phones, and laptop computers, people are working longer hours than they ever have.  In fact, North Americans are clocking more hours than any other workers in the world.  Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean that they are also the most productive, or the most healthy.  In fact, this increase in working opportunities has actually earned more resentment than gratitude from the employees who are affected.  Work is becoming extremely intrusive on personal time, and today’s technologies mean that the intrusion is only growing. 

Studies have shown that approximately one third of all North American workers are considered to be chronically overworked employees.  Their stress level is on the rise, along with depression, work-related mistakes, and personal troubles in their relationships and families.

Overworked employees are also having a negative impact on the companies who employ them.  It is costing businesses surprising amounts of money to cover for the increase in errors on the job, as well as all of the stress related illnesses that are popping up everywhere.  Overworked employees actually account for the highest levels of behavioral health costs ever seen.

One third of every employed person maintains some degree of contact with their supervisors, management, coworkers, or customers outside of their scheduled work time.  Among them, 44 percent feel that they are highly overworked. 

If you feel that you are an overworked employee, and you are looking for a solution to this issue before it becomes a real problem – or before the problem gets worse – it is suggested that you speak to your employer about what you are feeling.  Compare your situation to that of an athlete in training.  Just as a body builder cannot continue lifting weights without giving the body a break, you cannot keep working under the constant push without some time to rest and recover.

Remember that it is also much wiser to deal with the situation sooner rather than later.  The longer you allow yourself to be overworked, the greater the precedent you are setting.  Since you haven’t said anything, your employer will not realize that anything is wrong.  They will only continue with the workload until they know that it is an issue.  You needn’t make it a tense discussion.  Simply ask for the opportunity to speak with your employer where you can calmly discuss your workload and the hours you are putting in.  Certainly, a mutually beneficial agreement can be reached.

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