14/11/2017
More hours does not equal higher productivity
In today’s world where you can connect almost everywhere you go and get access to work related data and information it is easy to get drawn into the alarming trend that has developed over the past few years whereby companies seem to believe that the more hours their employees work the higher the productivity of the company will be. This has been exaccerbated by the economic pressure experienced by many companies around the globe.
It is rare to work for a company that understands that a balance is required for their employees to be able to work effectively and to be innovative. I am fortunate to work for a company that understands that caring for your employees and also understanding their emotional needs, will have a positive impact on the bottom line of the company.
Others are unfortunately not that lucky or shall I say, priveledge.
I would dare to say that the majority of companies these days treat their employees not as assets, but as replaceable objects.
It often happens that an employee resigns and the company then decides not to replace the individual but to divide the workload among the remaining team members. These team members are already overloaded with work. When one or more of them complain or voice their concern, they are told that they are welcome to look for alternative employment. Companies are aware that it is difficult for an employee to find new employment opportunities given the current economic conditions in many countries, and therefore exploit the situation.
This is however not a sustainable solution and many companies seem to overlook this important fact.
Every individual, no matter how dedicated and committed, has a limit in terms of how much stress they can deal with over an extended period of time.
More and more people are realising that they have no life anymore. Their employers expect them to be available all hours of the day, even over weekends and when they go on holiday. Technology unfortunately makes it possible for employers to reach employees all hours of the day, including while they are on holiday or even in hospital. Companies seem to ignore the fact that taking leave means you are not available for work, that you are taking time to rest and recover from the pressure and stress of work and daily life.
This results in employees not being able to switch off and get the rest that they desperately need. It also results in stress within their immediate family as they are unable to relax and enjoy a well deserved break with their loved ones. This is in reality a total disrespect for the indivdual employee and their family. I find it interesting that managers who expect their team members to be available and reachable at all times are often not willing to do the same….
The result of this is that more and more people experince partial or total burnout. And the age group of people experiencing this are getting younger and younger.
This has a big impact on the economy and also on the families of those suffering from burnout. It takes at least six months for someone to recover to such an extent that they can start to function in an environment with not too much pressure. Someone who suffered from burnout needs to be phased back into their positions and many has to settle for a less presurrised and often lower income position.
The families impacted by this take a long time to recover from the additional financial burden as a result of a lower income or no income at all for an extended period of time. Some never recover from this and this just adds additional stress onto the individual suffering from burnout and a feeling of guilt and failure which in turn extends the period needed for full recovery.
Companies also suffer from this even though they tend to deny or ignore it. It normally takes a minimum of 6 months for someone to get familiar with the processes and workflow in a new organisation and two years to be fully functional and productive. During the time that it takes a new person to get up to speed with the new position the output will be lower than that of the employee that suffered from burnout or decided to leave before it get to that point.
This is a factor that is often ignored, mostly because it is difficult to measure and easier to ignore.
I do believe that the impact will reach a level that can no longer be ignored if companies do not change their behaviour and expectations. More and more people that fulfill critical and key functions in organisations will decide to leave or suffer from burnout, leaving companies exposed.
The solution to this is actually far simpler and more beneficial to companies than what is commonly believed.
Finding more efficient ways to do things and encouraging employees to be innovative and take time to think about alternative ways to perform tasks will often reduce the time spend at the office and remove the need to work while on leave.
Companies need to encourage their employees to take lunch breaks and coffee breaks. Discussions among teams are also necessary to create more synergies and more effective processes. Create time for this.
Allow your employees to take time to think and not just hit the keys on the computer to get through all the daily tasks, day in and day out, in the same way its always been done.
Encourage employees to take a proper break from work so that they can recharge their batteries and come back refreshed, sometimes with new ideas.
This will not only result in happier employees that are more committed and loyal but will ultimately increase the bottom line of the company.
Remember, people buy from people, and companies are ultimately represented by their employees and not the brand or marketing material only.
Look after your employees and they will look after you.
Article written by Marisa von Brandis, Executive management consultant and Business coach.
