The Britain at work report by communications consultancy Lansons also found that a high proportion of respondents regularly put in more than their required hours, with 50% working up to an extra hour each day and 28% working for one to two hours past their set working time.

Debbie Lovewell-Tuck

Most of us will be used to working past our usual hours. But while many of us now don’t subscribe to the ‘work-to-live’ theory and instead genuinely enjoy our work, I truly believe that there has to be a balance.

Based on the extra hours and effort respondents to Lansons’ research appear to be putting in, I also expected to see high levels of staff engagement. Yet, just 47% say they feel valued at work and 52% feel respected.

If staff are disengaged and regularly left feeling so tired from work that they are unable to enjoy life outside of it, how long before their productivity and commitment starts to dip or they begin to look for opportunities elsewhere?

So many organisations are now focusing on becoming known as destination employers, but I wonder how many are doing so without first going back to basics and ensuring staff feel engaged and valued?

Debbie Lovewell-Tuck
Editor
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Debbie Lovewell-Tuck is a business journalist with 20 years’ experience specialising in pay, reward and HR. She joined Employee Benefits as a reporter in 2003, before becoming editor in 2015. Debbie is also responsible for editorial content across Employee’ Benefits events, including Employee Benefits Live and the Employee Benefits Awards, as well as hosting Employee Benefits’ webinars.View full profile

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