working hours
Long working hours harms more than it can benefit
Introduction
‘Working hours of laborers has become increasingly burdensome and invasive’ (Donis, 2003). Over the past half century, economy growth has caused large amounts of changes in work organization and management. As an important aspect of work organization and management, working hours of stuff has caused much concern. However, working hours seem to become longer as the economy growth. According to Acirrt (cited in Pocock 2001, p.4), full-time workers who are working more than 48 hours a week have the proportion of 19 per cent in the late seventies; however, the figure jumped to 32 per cent in late 1990s.
The reason why the topic ‘working hours’ is chosen is that both managers and employees have concerned it increasingly when they balance their work and life. Not only because of this, but also the negative impacts of long working hours are often ignored and caused physical and mental problem of employees.
This report will discuss that long working hours do much more harms than it can benefit although it may decrease employees’ financial burden and overall have a positive effect on companies’ productivity. Two main reasons are that it harms employees’ health, and has negative influence on their family and social life
Key aspects of long working hours
1. Positive impacts
Firstly, in terms of employees themselves, it is true that long working hours could decrease their financial burden. It is argued that those who worked short hours, such as those have part-time jobs, preferred to work longer, while long hours workers are willing to work shorter (Drago, cited in Drago et al. 2004, p.1). Clearly, longer working hours mean an increase in employees’ income. To those working part-time, long working hours can decrease their financial burden significantly. Take students’ part-time job an example, in Sydney, an average wage of a part-time job is 10 dollars per hour, an average rental expense in the City is
Introduction
‘Working hours of laborers has become increasingly burdensome and invasive’ (Donis, 2003). Over the past half century, economy growth has caused large amounts of changes in work organization and management. As an important aspect of work organization and management, working hours of stuff has caused much concern. However, working hours seem to become longer as the economy growth. According to Acirrt (cited in Pocock 2001, p.4), full-time workers who are working more than 48 hours a week have the proportion of 19 per cent in the late seventies; however, the figure jumped to 32 per cent in late 1990s.
The reason why the topic ‘working hours’ is chosen is that both managers and employees have concerned it increasingly when they balance their work and life. Not only because of this, but also the negative impacts of long working hours are often ignored and caused physical and mental problem of employees.
This report will discuss that long working hours do much more harms than it can benefit although it may decrease employees’ financial burden and overall have a positive effect on companies’ productivity. Two main reasons are that it harms employees’ health, and has negative influence on their family and social life
Key aspects of long working hours
1. Positive impacts
Firstly, in terms of employees themselves, it is true that long working hours could decrease their financial burden. It is argued that those who worked short hours, such as those have part-time jobs, preferred to work longer, while long hours workers are willing to work shorter (Drago, cited in Drago et al. 2004, p.1). Clearly, longer working hours mean an increase in employees’ income. To those working part-time, long working hours can decrease their financial burden significantly. Take students’ part-time job an example, in Sydney, an average wage of a part-time job is 10 dollars per hour, an average rental expense in the City is
References: Donis, G 2003, ‘Modern Times, Ancient Hours’, Verso, London, p.1 Drago, R, Tseng, YP, Wooden, M 2004, ‘Family Structure, Usual and Preferred Working Hours, and Egalitarianism in Australia’, Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series, vol.1,no.4, February, p1. Eckenrode, J & Gore, S 1990, ‘Stress Between Work and Family’, Plenum Press, New York Golden, L 2012, ‘The Effects of Working Time on Productivity and Firm Performance: a research synthesis paper’, Conditions of Work and Employment, vol. 33, no. 2, July, p6-7. Pocock, B 2001, ‘The effect of long hours on family and community life’, p.4-24, viewed 31 March 2013. Quinlan, M, Bohle, P & Lamm, F 2010, ‘Managing Occupational Health and Safety’, 3rd edn, Elizabeth Vella, Sydney, p288.