OVERWORK

I have observed that many Private Companies as also some Government Organisations tend to overwork their people. Some people work for about 16 hours everyday, all six days in week. True, There are some workaholics who revel in working for 16 hours every day.  It is perennial overtime in some Private Companies in the Country. The middle Management cadre in such Companies are made to work much more. In some of the Government banks in the country, it has become necessary for a few people in every branch to put in more than 12 hours of work due to tremendous workload.  It is also true that some people tend to log in more working hours just to while away the time and some for the extra pay they get as a result. Apprentice workers in Accountancy and sales people for eg., are typically made to work continuously without break for 4-5 days or more at a stretch to meet deadlines. This is particularly during the financial year ending and half-yearly closings in finance and marketing departments.

What I want is to give some thoughts for the readers to dwell into the merits and demerits of overworking and find a solution to this.

World Health Organisation specifies 45 to 60 houirs of working hours in a week depending upon the Country and Region. This clause is inducted into the Factories act of countries, as in India, though such an Act is old, may be, more than 100 years old. France, for eg. has ruled a maximum of 45 hours of working hours per week for a working individual. It is also specified that making an individual work more than 60 hours may have dire consequences on his physical and mental health.

Merits of working more may be getting things done earlier, more productivity, more earnings & rewards. Tireless working can a great virtue for those who are in the public & charitable services. This may be advantageous for some of the professions such as politicians. Such work, however, is undertaken only for a limited time such as time of calamity, elections etc.

The consequences however are many and in some case not easily discernible. These may include;

Daily fatigue. Unlike the professions listed above, a Company workers’ work is ongoing and therefore tend to get regular. Fatigue over a period of time may have lasting effects on individual health.

Long hours in front of computers, machines, factory heat and in closed circulation rooms may be detrimental for one’s health in terms of many of psychosomatic diseases.

For a person who has worked long hours in a day, will he be fresh and alert the next day and expected to give his best?. Does not his effectivity reduce?. In my opinion, there will be much less productivity which is the primary aim of working long hours.

Travelling to & from home to workplace may not be safe and can cause accidents due to excess fatigue.

Working more hours mean less time for the family which may result in less tollerence, more irritability, a common problem nowadays.

Working more hours also mean less time for community work and quality recreation which are regenerative forces for one’s health and well-being.

Irregular working hours alter sleep patters, food intake and consequent digestion whose effects are long term and very damaging.

It is a well-known fact that our Country is on the forefront of the people with cardiovascular  and diabetes as compared to the world. These may be proof of the demerits listed above and if left uncorrected may lead to a catastrophe. Government has to act with necessary alteration to the legislation and people movement has to rise to contain the damages.