Brits Struggle with Heavy Workloads

A Mercer Human Resource Consulting news release said that 55% of those surveyed say there are enough people in their department to handle the workload, while around a third believe the amount of work they are asked to do is unreasonable. The survey covered a cross-section of over 1,000 British workers.

“It is hardly surprising that stress is now one of the major causes of long-term sickness absence in theUK,” said David Tong, Principal at Mercer in the news release. “As companies continue to cut back costs, there is an increasing expectation that employees will take on additional responsibilities. Young professionals have always felt the need to work much longer than the traditional 35-hour week to prove them and claw their way up the career ladder – now other employees are expected to follow suit.”

About a third of the employees surveyed say they are not able to maintain a healthy balance between their work and personal lives. “Many organizations claim they offer flexible working arrangements, but most of these are available to only a select group of employees,” said Tong. “By being more adaptable to people’s personal circumstances, companies can help to retain a healthier and more engaged workforce.”

According to the survey, half of the respondents (50%) believe managers in their organization understand the problems employees experience in their jobs.

More information is at http://www.mercerHR.com/ .