We might be approaching December, but that doesn't mean people are slacking off
We might be approaching the festive season, but that doesn’t mean people are slacking off.
In fact, Canadians are working longer and longer hours - as new research from Robert Half found over half of remote staff work through the weekend.
Data released today found that 55% of employees working from home continued to do so over the weekend - with 34% of remote workers regularly going over their allotted eight hours a day.
Calgary had the highest number of people working weekends at 65% - closely followed by Toronto (60%) and Ottawa (56%).
“Despite the significant benefits of working remotely, such as saving time spent commuting and increased flexibility, it can also lead to putting in longer hours,” added David King, Canadian senior district president of Robert Half.
“Heavier workloads have become a reality for many professionals during the pandemic, making it more challenging to disconnect while at home. It is critical that employers encourage their teams to take regular breaks and prioritize themselves and their wellbeing.”
All this added work is taking its toll on employee mental health. An earlier Robert Half study found that 33% of workers are more burned out now than they were one year ago.
Grappling with feelings of isolation, job worries and economic uncertainty, employees are already having a hard time. This, coupled with aggressive working hours, is hampering productivity and, more importantly, psychological wellbeing.
“With workers indicating they are experiencing rising levels of fatigue, managers need to work with their teams to address job burnout head on,” advised King.
“This means helping them to not only prioritize their workloads – but also their wellbeing.”
