The Workers Union is calling for an end to the culture of working unpaid hours.
A spokesperson for The Workers Union said: ‘British workers are amongst the most dedicated, resourceful and industrious people in the world. But that does not mean that they should be taken for granted.
The announcement came as salary survey company Cendex revealed that over half of staff in UK companies work additional hours without pay.
‘Most workers are happy to go the extra mile when the pressure is on and when there is a genuine need to get something over the line. However, persistent overwork with little opportunity for rest and recuperation leads to staff burnout.
UK businesses need to look at this situation very carefully and try to ameliorate its worst effects. People are not robots and bosses should recognise that very few of their staff are happy to work for free on an indefinite basis.’
Cendex found that 53 percent of staff admitted to working outside their contracted hours. Meanwhile, a quarter of staff thought the pandemic – and the subsequent requirement to work at home – had softened the boundaries between home life and work life.
The survey also found that 30 percent (1 in 3) of employers said that their employees were working between one and two additional hours a day.
Scott Walker, the Managing Director at Cendex said: ‘Remote working has grown in popularity over the last year and while it’s a perfect fit for some, this data has shone light on a major pitfall of the initiative. In the past, employees often took their work home with them, but throughout the pandemic and now as we head towards a hybrid-work future, it’s really coming to the fore. The line between work life and home life is now blurred, resulting in a spike in working unscheduled hours. This will no doubt impact not only individuals’ wellbeing, but their performance and productivity at work too.’
The Workers Union Says…
This organisation has backed flexible working as the best route to ensuring that working people have a degree of control over their lives. We shall continue to do so as a matter of principle.
At the same time, we will oppose any moves to nurture and sustain a culture that places unreasonable expectations on those who choose to take advantage of a less formal way of working. Moreover, we believe that companies that allow work to go on outside of contracted hours, should offer appropriate financial compensation.
The bottom line is that flexible work does not mean a licence to take the proverbial. Companies that treat is as so must be called out and punished.
The Workers Union – fighting for social justice, fighting for you
