Experts have warned of an ‘epidemic’ of long working hours as a survey found that 50% of UK workers regularly put in two or more unpaid hours per week.
Four in 10 (41%) of respondents also said they regularly work one or more unpaid hours per day. One quarter (24%) often work more than the legal maximum of 48 hours each week.
For 44% of participants, working longer than contracted was said to be part of the culture of their organisation. Half (52%) said they check emails and work messages outside of working hours. A further 39% check and respond to work-related communications while on holiday/annual leave.
These findings result from a survey of 1,000 UK workers conducted by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH). IOSH said the research was motivated by a desire to uncover the ‘small print’ of workers’ contracts and business rules. While benefits such as ‘competitive’ salaries and private healthcare may be highlighted by companies, IOSH said ‘unfavourable conditions’ may be more hard to detect.
Ruth Wilkinson is head of policy and public affairs at IOSH. She said: ‘As the world of work transforms, we must keep the safety, health and wellbeing of workers high on everyone’s list of priorities, embedded into core business practice and culture if enterprise, economies and societies are to thrive.’
‘Always-on’ work culture
Another issue addressed by the survey was attitudes to sick leave. Around 57% of respondents said they had worked despite feeling too ill to do so within the past 12 months.
Ruth Wilkinson continued: ‘We already know that the UK has economically inactive workers and workers being on long-term sick leave. If we stand by and ignore this, then it could get worse.’
IOSH said the results of the survey shows the UK has an ‘always-on’ work culture. However, 90% of respondents also said they believed that workers should have the right to switch off outside of contracted hours.
Ruth Wilkinson said: ‘This cannot continue. Our survey results show there is an epidemic of people working long hours – often without pay – and with people working while ill or on holiday. This is of great concern.
‘In 2021, a World Health Organization (WHO) and International Labour Organization (ILO) global analysis found that working long hours is now known to be responsible for about one-third of the total estimated work-related burden of disease.’
Employment Rights Bill
Announced as part of the King’s Speech, the government is planning the launch of a new Employment Rights Bill. Measures will include establishing a Fair Work Agency to uphold employment rights, ensuring rights are in place from the first day of employment, and a greater move towards flexible working.
IOSH urged the government to ensure ‘greater awareness and transparency on where and how harm can occur and how the risks are being mitigated and addressed in work contracts’. It also called for the government to review and update frameworks relating to occupational health and safety, with attention to new ways of working.
Ultimately, IOSH said it hoped the research would lead to ‘work that is safe, healthy, sustainable and accommodates people’s needs’.
Follow Dentistry.co.uk on Instagram to keep up with all the latest dental news and trends.
