Effects of overtime

Employees who work overtime hours can be have many different physical, mental, and social effects. Significant effects include stress, lack of free time, poor work-life balance, and health risks. Employee performance levels could also be lowered. Long work hours could lead to tiredness, fatigue, and lack of attentiveness. As a result of these risks, suggestions have been proposed as to how we can mitigate these risks.

The mental effects on workers will vary based upon the work they do, the number of hours they work, and the type of individual. Groupon performed a study in July 2016 on the effects of work. The results found that 38% work too much, 46% never had time to relax, and 60% of pollers have an unhealthy work-life balance. While this research showed some trends concerning the effects, other research has been performed to test the satisfaction levels of employees. A 2004 study of workers in Australia showed a trend that satisfaction levels decreased as the numbers of hours worked increased. They also stated that these effect could be lessened for those who enjoyed working extensive hours. These types of workers are more satisfied with their work-life balance.

Margot Shields surveyed 3,830 men and women between the ages of 25 and 54 who worked 35 hours or more per week between 1994 and 1997. She analyzed the relationship between working hours and depression. Her results found that women had increased likelihood of experiencing depression the more hours they worked.

Consecutive periods of working straight shifts, lack of breaks during the day, and consecutive days of working without a day off lead to decreased efficiency and productivity in workers. A synopsis of the book "Tired Cops: The Importance of Managing Police Fatigue" by Bryan Vila analyzed how these effect police officers in 2000. The abnormal work and sleep schedules were leading causes of the limited efficiency of police officers. This downturn in their effectiveness create unsafe environments for the communities around them.

Long-term effects were researched by The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. They studied the link between overtime and the increased risk of cardiovascular disorder (CVD) events. Their results included evidence that showed that for people who worked at least 10 years for each additional hour worked, starting from the 46th hour, his or her risk of a CVD event increase by 1%. In addition to these health risks, María Beniell, who received her Ph.D. in Economics from the Center for Monetary and Financial Studies (CEMFI), researched the correlation between working long hours and the likelihood of individuals smoking, drinking, having a high body mass index (BMI), and being less physically active. The long-term effects of alcohol consumption include increased on-the-job injuries and loss of productivity, family problems, risk of high blood pressure, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases, and more. The effects of smoking, in addition to the similarities to the effects of alcohol, include increased risk to heart attacks, emphysema, and a large amount of cancers.

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