Data-point number one million in the decline of the 40-hour week:
About half of all managers work more than 40 hours a week, according to a new survey from tax and consulting firm EY, and 39% report that their hours have increased in the past five years. Little wonder, then, that one-third of workers say it’s getting more difficult to balance work and life.
The survey, which fielded opinions from 9,699 full-time employees in eight countries, raises some questions about the sustainability of the current pace of work, said Karyn Twaronite, who heads up diversity and inclusion efforts for EY and commissioned the study.
Employees report that their responsibilities at work have increased while wages have largely stayed flat. And while technologies like company-provided smartphones and remote-work software have bought workers some flexibility, they also keep “people tied to work seven days a week,” Ms. Twaronite noted.
In Mexico, 61% of managers report working more than 40 hours a week; in the U.S., the figure is 58%. (It would be interesting to know when a majority of managers in these and other countries reported they had passed the 50% mark.) Not surprisingly, people also report flat salaries, rising expectations and workload, and negative effects on family time and sleep.