Job Search is a full time job

IT workers do more unpaid overtime a year than the national average, according to research (February 2009) carried out by the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

It found that one in three IT professionals were working an average of 34 days unpaid overtime in the previous year, or the equivalent of six hours a week.

It calculated overall that that 5.24 million people across the UK worked an average of seven hours six minutes unpaid overtime a week or 41 days a year in 2008, which was the highest number since records began in 1992. The previous record was five million in 2001. This equates to the equivalent of over one million full time jobs.  Add in paid over time and a change in the law so that it is no more expensive to employ an extra member of staff than it currently is to pay staff over time and the unemployment queues could be dramatically reduced.

The survey results showed that 33.8 per cent of UK workers overall suffer unpaid overtime, up 1.5 per cent on the previous year.

Brendan Barber, TUC general secretary stated that the recession was bringing new pressure for people to work unpaid overtime, and even more IT professionals were doing unpaid overtime than last year.

“But not all unpaid overtime is useful work helping to overcome the recession,” he said. “When people understandably fear for their jobs employers still have a responsibility to organise work properly and ensure their workplaces don’t get gripped by a long hours culture.”

The national trade union centre carried out its research to highlight its annual “Work Your Proper Hours Day” initiative, which took place on 27th February 2009.

Although the day was described as “light hearted” by the TUC, it pointed out that excessively working long hours still need to be addressed in UK workplaces, especially in a downturn, as it can lead to stress and burn out, as well as lower staff and business productivity levels.

Professor Cooper, professor of Organisational Psychology and Health at Lancaster University, added that many IT employees also feel obliged to put more hours into their work, in order to prove to the boss that they are committed and indispensable, at the same time as internet technologies were encouraging ‘follow-the-sun’ working patterns.

“However consistently working long hours is likely to affect your health adversely as well as your productivity. A good work-life balance, which offers quality time at home, is vitally important to both the health of the employee and to the long term health of their company or organisation,” he added.

In the book The Way We're Working Isn't Working  Tony Schwartz states people work best in 60-90 minute bursts, concentrating on one activity and then taking a break. Mid-day power naps and renewal breaks that involve going out and taking a walk or sitting down and slowly digesting a meal have beneficial effects on productivity as well as the health of the employee.

At the same time achieving a good night's sleep is important in the daily renewal process and getting a balance in your life.