Why Do You Work So Much Overtime?
Why do you work so much overtime?
When a health professional asked me this question when i was suffering from work-related burnout, I wasn't sure how to respond. When I asked similar questions to participants in my research they often had the same response with answers such as 'that's just the way it is', 'the work needs to get done', and everyone is 'expected' to do it. Some people mentioned that people’s ability to work overtime had been ‘glamourised’, with many people viewing it as a ‘badge of honour’. If you had a similar reaction, you may benefit from reflecting on the reasons below to really understand what is driving this behaviour.
It's likely that there are many interconnected reasons for why you work overtime, some of which you may not even be conscious about. When we become conscious to what drives our behaviour, we can then choose to make a change. I generally would have said that I had to work overtime because of the nature of the job and the workload/deadlines. However, I wasn't really conscious of how some of the overtime I was working was driven by professional pride or wanting to do a good job to advance my career. This was in my control and essentially a choice, even though I complained about it. For the overtime that I couldn’t control, I perceived that there would be negative consequences if I didn't work the hours that everyone else was putting in e.g. it would affect performance ratings and that people would think I that couldn't handle the job. These reasons were also reported by participants that I interviewed.
While there are always going to be busy times, especially in certain industries, if you find yourself working in an environment where working over your contracted hours is the rule, rather than the exception, culture is likely to be playing a key part. There will of course always be things out of our control that will drive overtime, however one thing we can control, is the culture around it. Culture exists at a team and organisational level, so if you are a manager or leader why not start a discussion with your team to see how you can create a healthier attitude towards overtime. If you understand the specific reasons that is causing overtime, it is easier to identify ways to minimise it. Also be mindful that people often learn overtime expectations by observing those around them, so be conscious of how your own overtime patterns and attitudes may influence your direct reports and fellow co-workers.
The first part of behaviour change is awareness. So If you work in an environment where overtime is common feel free to share this blog to raise awareness, start that conversation, and help create healthier work cultures!