The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Not many of us are working nine to five anymore, and in fact, Canadians are working almost three hours more each week than our employers expect. Add that up and weÕre working an average of 145 extra hours each year. But do logging long hours qualify as Ôhard workingÕ? According to the Workopolis Hardest Working Canadians Study, the top three factors that determine hard work are: a high degree of responsibility, a high level of concentration or mental effort and a heavier than average work load. Overall, one third (32 per cent) of Canadians surveyed indicated theyÕre working Ôtoo hardÕ, while six in 10 (59 per cent) thought that work levels were Ôjust rightÕ. Another nine per cent confessed theyÕre not working Ôhard enoughÕ. Age plays a factor and 40 per cent of those aged 50+ say they work too hard, compared to only 20 per cent of those 16-24. One-quarter (25 per cent) of Albertans surveyed report working hard all of the time. ÒAs Canadians continue to work harder and harder, are we in fact working any better or smarter? Longer hours donÕt necessarily mean increased productivity.Ó said Patrick Sullivan, President of Workopolis. See 'Why' on pg. Continued from pg. ÒThe bottom line: assess the reasons why youÕre working hard. Do you have an intrinsic drive or are there external factors being placed on you?Ó Reasons WeÕre Working Hard According to the survey, Canadians report theyÕre working hard because: ItÕs expected of them (51 per cent) ItÕs just the nature of the job (48 per cent) Their work environment is understaffed (41 per cent). One-quarter (25 per cent) of respondents said they canÕt leave work behind, and another quarter (22 per cent) indicated they work hard for financial compensation. Not surprisingly, Western CanadaÕs labour shortage continues to impact the workforce. They were most likely to report working hard due to understaffing. Women are more likely than their male counterparts to work hard to prove themselves (38 versus 31 per cent), while men are more likely to be doing so in order to get ahead (37 versus 31 per cent) in their careers. Who Works Harder - You or the Boss? Six in 10 (61 per cent) managers surveyed believe they work harder than their employees. The reason why? Managers indicated that increased responsibility is a sign of hard work. But when employees were asked if their managers work harder, only one-quarter agreed with the statement. Most Canadian workers think they either work equally hard (45 per cent) or harder (30 per cent) because theyÕre able to get more done. Top Five Hardest Working Professions According to the Workopolis Hardest Working Canadians Study, Canadians weighed in and here are the top five hardest working professions: Moms Nurses Air traffic controllers Surgeons Fire-fighters But their reasons for landing on this hard working list vary. The survey revealed that for moms, itÕs because of their high amount of responsibility, and non-standard work hours that put them on top. But, stress, mental concentration, physical effort and even danger were essential factors for the remaining four professions that rounded out the list. The Hard Work Effect As Canadians continue to put in the extra time, according to the survey, working Canadians are turning to a variety of coping mechanisms to compensate for hard work: Taking a little ÔmeÕ time was the most popular, followed by exercise, vacation days, drinks out and delegating more. Fifteen per cent resort to taking a sick day when theyÕre working too hard, while only slightly more (22 per cent) would approach their boss about it. See 'Long' on pg. Continued from pg. Non-managers were more likely to turn to colleagues for help, while managers were more inclined to delegate more. ÒWhile itÕs important to find coping mechanisms to relieve stress and remove yourself from a difficult situation, the next step is to resolve the problem is through communication,Ó added Sullivan. ÒEmployees who find that they are unable to cope with the pressure need to speak up and look to your manager for advice on how to improve the situation. It may mean that additional support needs to be hired or that some of your work is delegated to others, but it is critical to find a solution rather than simply relying on a temporary escape.Ó Evaluating Your Hard Work How much of your day is ÔrealÕ work versus ÔbusyÕ work? Be careful not to let meaningless e-mails or playing phone tag with someone fill up your day. Put technology to good use to help you to work smarter Ð not harder. An understaffed environment isnÕt a good reason to be overworked, unless itÕs just for the short term. Speak with your manager and let them know how youÕre feeling. You may want to consider meeting with a time management consultant for tips if youÕre feeling overwhelmed at work.
