APPENDIX
LIVING TO
WORK: REPORT
PREPARED BY
TNS FOR CIPD SEPTEMBER
2003
Interviews were undertaken with a sample of
1,666 people, including 432 full time workers working more than
48 hours a week, 916 full time workers working less than 48 hours
and 318 part time workers. A similar survey was carried out in
1998, making possible some comparisons with the earlier data.
KEY FINDINGS
— The average length of the working
week stood at 39.6 hours in 2003, representing a marginal increase
(+0.7 hours) on 1998.
— Plant and machine operatives still
recorded the longest working week (46.1 hours). In terms of sector
it was people in the high tech and electronics sector as well
as transport and distribution who put in the most hours.
— 26 per cent of all workers claimed
that they worked more than 48 hours per week in 2003, compared
to only 10 per cent in 1998. Furthermore, one in 11 (9 per cent)
of respondents worked more than 60 hours a week.
— Further examination of those working
in excess of 48 hours revealed that on average these people worked
57.4 hours a week, a marginal decline on 1998 when the figure
was 58.0 hours
— Only 15 per cent of workers who worked
more than 48 hours stated that they had reduced their working
hours since 1998. Reasons for doing so included new job, new right
to ask for flexible working and parental responsibilities.
— As in 1998, a heavy workload was
cited as the main reason for working long hours by 39 per cent
of workers, compared to 41 per cent in 1998
— Also similar to 1998, 50 per cent
of long hours workers were so conscientious that if they were
forced to choose between a work commitment and an outside commitment,
work would usually win. Amongst all workers it was somewhat less
at 33 per cent.
— Most respondents reported that working
long hours has had some sort of negative effect on their job performance
including making mistakes at least sometimes (67 per cent), taking
longer to complete a task (73 per cent) or performing less well
generally (76 per cent)
— Over a quarter of respondents claimed
to have suffered some sort of physical ailment as a result of
working long hours. Furthermore 26 per cent stated that working
long hours had had a detrimental effect on their mental health
in terms of stress or depression
— Despite working over 48 hours a week,
almost half (47 per cent) of those surveyed believed that they
had struck the right balance between work and life outside work,
only marginally down on 1998 (50 per cent).
— The major impact of working long
hours appeared to be that respondents missed out on leisure or
hobbies which was cited by 68 per cent of those who worked in
excess of 48 hours. Over four in 10 (45 per cent) indicated that
long hours had put a strain on their relationships and significantly
11 per cent believed that it had contributed to their divorce.
— Clearly, those who work long hours
have a very conscientious streak. Over seven out of 10 (71 per
cent) of respondents had worked even when they felt unwell and
68 per cent had often worked on public holidays in the last 12
months. Moreover, 42 per cent rarely took all their annual leave
and 43 per cent rarely had time to take a refreshment or lunch
break
— Even amongst all workers almost half
(46 per cent) have worked on public holidays in the last 12 months
and a third rarely take all their annual leave
— Despite their commitment to work,
when asked which they find more enjoyable life at work or life
outside work, only 7 per cent chose life at work, although a further
28 per cent felt it was about the same.
— There would seem to be a high level
of satisfaction with friends (80 per cent) and health (67 per
cent) amongst 48+ hour workers. Moreover both aspects noted an
increase on 1998 (each at 59 per cent). Satisfaction with work
(56 per cent) was lower in 2003 (than health and friends) but
even this represented an improvement on the 1998 figure of 44
per cent. For all workers satisfaction levels were marginally
higher.
TABLE EXTRACTED
FROM PRESSURE
AT WORK
AND THE
PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTRACT
(CIPD 2002)
Table 18
STRESS AND WELL-BEING
|
| Per cent | Very
harmful
| Somewhat
harmful
| No
effect |
Somewhat
positive |
Very
Positive |
|
| To what extent do the following have a harmful or positive effect on your health and daily well-being?
| | | |
| |
| Your workload | 7
| 30 | 48
| 12 | 3
|
| The number of hours you work | 7
| 27 | 54
| 9 | 4
|
| Your job content, that is what you do on a day-to-day basis
| 4 | 22
| 55 | 15
| 4 |
| Your work environment | 6
| 23 | 46
| 18 | 8
|
| The amount of opportunities to use your skills
| 2 | 7
| 48 | 28
| 15 |
| The amount of control you have over the work you do
| 1 | 12
| 43 | 27
| 16 |
| The amount of support available at work |
3 | 14
| 32 | 33
| 17 |
| The amount of help available when you face a problem at work
| 3 | 14
| 25 | 37
| 21 |
| The relationships you have with people at work
| 2 | 4
| 22 | 33
| 39 |
|
PRESSURES ON
EMPLOYERS TO
REDUCE LONG
HOURS WORKING
(SEE PARAGRAPH
14)
The battle for talent
The CIPD/Lovells survey on flexible working shows that a
significant proportion of employers are starting to see the benefits
of providing their workers with improved work-life balance.
This trend will mean that it will be increasingly hard for
employers that don't offer flexible working policies to compete
in a tight labour market against more enlightened employers. Seven
out of 10 organisations experience recruitment difficulties, according
to the CIPD's 2003 labour turnover survey.
Demographic change
Demographic change will also force employers to reduce long
hours working. The EOC have suggested that by 2010 only 20 per
cent of the working population are likely to be white, male, able-bodied
and under 45.
As a result employers will face growing pressure to move
away from long working hours and to provide flexible working opportunities
to attract and keep more women and older workers who will make
up a larger proportion of the workforce.
Social change
Changing social attitudes to childcare will mean more men
will play a significant role in childcare. The EOC estimates that
men now undertake a third of all parental childcare. Fathers today
spend eight times as much time looking after young children as
their counterparts 25 years ago. In 70 per cent of couples both
partners work outside the home and this figure is rising. These
trends obviously mean that men as well as women will increasingly
be looking for employers that can offer them work-life balance.
23 February 2004
|
