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Work life divide ‘increasingly blurred’
The work-life divide is increasingly blurred for many workers with 60 per cent talking about work regularly when at home and one in three working on a weekend despite not being required to, according to a new survey.
The work-life divide is increasingly blurred for many workers with 60 per cent talking about work regularly when at home and one in three working on a weekend despite not being required to, according to a new survey.
Nearly half of British workers surveyed said they worry about work in their spare time, while two thirds work at times when they feel they shouldn’t have to.
The study of 2,000 people, commissioned by Avery Office & Consumer Products, found that the average person spends one hour 13 minutes working outside of their contracted hours every day.
A quarter go above and beyond because they are plagued with fears of redundancy, while 36 per cent constantly have an eye on targets they know they have to reach.
The research found that despite people clocking off at 17.30pm on average, they don’t feel they’ve officially switched off until 18.52pm.
In fact, a third have obsessed so much about work that their friends or family have criticised them for it.
Gregg Corbett, Marketing Director at Avery said: “What these results show is that the average person is finding it increasingly hard to get the right work life balance. Clearly a little escapism from work is both needed and deserved.
“With advances in mobile and wireless technology, we’re able to work almost anywhere and at any time – but just because we have the capability to work at any hour of the day, that doesn’t mean we should.
“Britain’s busy workers really need to remember to treat themselves to a little ‘me time’ in order achieve a better balance.”
Indeed, more than a tenth of those surveyed feel they have to be constantly available to their boss.
Eighteen per cent say work is often their first waking thought, while a fifth check their email before getting out of bed.
More than one in ten can be found texting and emailing before 8am, while 26 per cent have skipped breakfast to get to work early and over half regularly works into their lunch break.
Nearly half of workers find it hard not to think about work in their spare time while over a quarter have drawn up a work to-do list or presentation while at home.
A tenth of those surveyed have been on a work call after 10pm and even more have sent or received emails late into the night.
Three in ten take work calls in bed – 14 per cent say work is often the final thing on their mind before bed while many have had a restless night worrying about work. Half of those surveyed said they have dreamt about work issues before.
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Comments [1]
Anonymous says:
I would agree with all of these facts. Personally, my very blurred line is a result of the need to prove to myself (as well as to my place of work) that I can deliver to the same level as I could before leaving to have a family. I also wanted to acknowledge that working flexibly is a two-way arrangement and I am prepared to work outside of my contracted hours in order to get the job done. This all comes back into my favour when I get every Friday to spend with my lovely boys!