Long hours are harming the health of Australian managers

About 50% of Australian managers believe their health is being negatively affected by the long hours they work, according to the results of a major new study.

About 50% of Australian managers believe their health is being negatively affected by the long hours they work, according to the results of a major new study.

A study of 2500 executives in the private and public sectors in Australia and Britain found that managers employed in full time positions regularly work more than their contract hours.

Of this number, more than half of the managers in both countries (53.4% in Britain and 55.6% in Australia) believed the long hours they worked were having a detrimental impact on their well being. They complained of symptoms such as indigestion and heartburn; constant irritability; sleep loss; becoming angry with others too easily; and difficulty in making decisions.

Over half the respondents believed the hours they worked were having a negative impact on their social activities and on relationships with their individual partners and 45% felt their productivity in the workplace was disadvantaged.

Susan Heron, CEO of the Australian Institute of Management (Vic/Tas), says the survey results provide a clear pointer to CEOs and top level management that the long hours worked are compromising the health of managers, causing unrest in the workplace and are restricting organisational performance.

“Companies and government organisations need to develop stress management policies and programs that include monitoring the hours worked by managers and their staff and being alert to the warning signs of poor employee health,” she says.