Extra hours for nine in 10 North bosses
Feb 25 2008 by Chris Knox, The Journal
LONDON executives may consider themselves the most put upon in the country but it is the workers of the North East who appear to be putting in the most hours.
More than nine out of 10 (91%) bosses in the North East work after their contracted hours compared to 85% of business leaders based in the capital, according to a new survey.
It seems the rapid growth of the North East’s economy has come at a price for many executives, with 55% saying they are working extra hours to meet deadlines or because of the volume of work they faced. Worryingly, 58% of these bosses said that burning the midnight oil adversely affected their productivity, while 52% said it was harming their morale.
Ross Armstrong, director of corporate affairs at Newcastle-based energy efficiency provider Eaga, said: “There is an outdated misconception that the long hours worked in places like London are not experienced elsewhere. I think these figures are a testament to how hard people are working to help build the North East’s economy. However, we realise the importance of a healthy work/life balance and this has to be paramount among North East execs.”
The figures, produced by the Chartered Management Institute, revealed that the average manager works one hour 18 minutes overtime each day, equivalent to around 40 days per year, or 184 million days each year for the entire management population in the UK.
Ross Smith, head of policy and research at the North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC), said: “There is a challenge for employers and employees to ensure that contracted hours are as productive as possible.
“The NECC is committed to helping members adopt smarter working methods through our involvement in the Work Wise North East campaign. This will help employees make maximum use of their working hours, boosting both productivity and morale.”
The figures show that an average 89% of UK execs work overtime on a daily basis. Bosses in the South East and Scotland came a joint second behind the North East, with 90% of bosses working excessive hours there.
Jo Causon, director, marketing and corporate affairs at the Chartered Management Institute, said: “Many organisations focus on the cost of absence to their organisations, yet are not addressing the root causes of absenteeism. Surely in today’s results-driven environment, output is more important than input, so two questions need to be answered: why are employers ignoring the impact of hours on the health and performance of their employees and what responsibility are employees taking for how they manage themselves?”
The figures also show that such lengthy hours could be putting a strain on the health and fitness of the North East’s business leaders, with 68% admitting that they were finding it difficult to find time for exercise.
Kevin Rowan, regional secretary of the TUC, said: “I think it comes down to a general anxiety among bosses as there are fewer higher ranking positions than in other areas in the country so they work longer to secure their jobs.”
