Working unpaid overtime is linked to high stress and burnout, according to recent research by the Institute for Work and Health, Canada. Of the 4,000 Canadians surveyed, 85 per cent of men who worked six or more hours of unpaid overtime a week were more likely to report stress, and 84 per cent were more likely to report burnout. With women, 90 per cent of those who worked six or more hours of unpaid overtime were more likely to report stress, while 52 per cent were more likely to report burnout.
Burnout is seen as the result of chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully “managed”. Workers feel dissipation of energy or exhaustion. Having a heavy workload and working long hours can contribute to burnout. Symptoms can include headaches, chronic illness, gastrointestinal issues, difficulty sleeping, irritability, anxiety, and a sense of hopelessness.
Previous research has connected working overtime with psychological distress. However, this is the first of its kind in Canada to distinguish between paid and unpaid overtime. The study’s findings suggest that working unpaid overtime can be an occupational health hazard, similar to other stressors such as shift work and low job control.
The article in the latest journal from the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), notes that supporting the ability to disconnect from work is one way employers can reduce the hazard of unpaid overtime. While many Canadian workers do not have this as a legal right, the Labor government recently introduced this right here in Australia. Unless the Coalition parties win the next election, and scrap the law, Australian workers now have the right to not respond to work requests, calls and emails outside their normal work hours.
Read more: The Link Between Unpaid Overtime, Stress, and Burnout CCOHS Health and Safety Report, Volume 22, Issue 09 SafetyNet Unions welcome right to disconnect