"Overwork in America"
Ellen Galinsky, James T. Bond, Stacy Kim, Lois Backon, Erin Brownfield,
Kelly Sakai
Families and Work Institute, March 2005.
According to this study by the Families and Work Institute, 44 percent of U.S. employees felt overworked often or very often, according to at least one of three measurements. Only 29 percent of respondents said that they rarely or never felt overworked. Twenty-six percent of employees reported being overworked often or very often in the last month and 27 percent said they felt overwhelmed by their workload. Another 29 percent said that they often or very often did not have the time to “step back and process or reflect on the work that they were doing.”
The study finds that chronically overworked employees have an adverse affect on business outcomes. The researchers divided workers into three groups, those with low, mid and high levels of being overworked. They found that the more overworked employees are:
The study also finds that high levels of multitasking is a key contributor to employees feeling overwhelmed and that more than one-third of all workers (36 percent) do not expect to take their full allotment of vacation time.
Interestingly, the researchers found that effective workplace practices have an impact on employees’ feelings of being overworked. They say that employees who are provided with opportunities to learn, supported on the job, and are given the flexibility to manage both their work and personal lives are less likely to feel overworked regardless of hours or responsibility.
