In times of quiet resignation and wave, it is easy to come to the conclusion that employees are bothering.
In fact, as Amanda Jones notes, all these trends are a symptom that we work more, faster and less. Jones, lecturer in organizational behavior and human resources management at King's Business School at London King's College, specializes in remote work and equilibrium between professional and private life.
“The intensification of work has been going on for decades,” he says in an interview with Business Insider. She became interested in it as a student.
During her doctorate, she worked with Professor Alan Felsled from the University of Cardiff, who has been studying this phenomenon for years.
– What has always fascinated me is the fact that this intensity never decreases. With time, we work harder and harder – he emphasizes.
However, this does not translate into greater productivity, but to burnout and emotional detachment from work.
Jones points out that presenting the resignation as a symptom of weakness is harmful.
“It can simply be a moment when someone can't do it anymore,” he says.
Increasing costs
The effects of overload are also very measurable: long sick leave and growing burden for the economy.
– They fall out of the labor market, do not pay taxes, and perhaps they receive benefits – he explains.
– If this applies to people with high qualifications, it is even more difficult to cover the competence gap. Productivity decreases and companies lose – he adds. “It looks like a race down,” he adds.
Some organizations test a four -day work week, and in her opinion a step in the right direction.
– Companies must realize that the current situation will not bring them long -term benefits – he says. – You will probably need an intervention at the political level – he adds.
Digital overload
Pandemia only accelerated the growing pressure.
The stereotype has become established that people working remotely are less involved because they do something to do something or do home duties during work.
This is one of the reasons why some companies called people back to offices, sometimes even for a full five days a week.
“But this is a misconception,” says Jones. Except employees often participate in more meetings than before.
“Remote work gives more opportunities,” he says. “Once, if you couldn't appear at the meeting, you just weren't there.” Today you can be everywhere – he adds.
Setting boundaries
Constant access to the email box and messengers meant that professional life is becoming more and more private.
– People go on vacation and are still working. It seems easy – the phone is at hand, so it reflexively replies – says Jones.
Before going on vacation, he removes post and linkedin applications from the phone.
– We have great pressure today to build our brand, be “employing”, keep looking for more opportunities. This also drives the intensification of work. I am afraid that young people will burn before they are 30 years old – he adds.
He advises to consciously set limits, even if it can be difficult.
– If the company does not support it, often the only way out is to leave, retrained or a completely new direction – he says.
You need to know what is good and healthy for us.
“Some just have a tendency to work, and we, as the environment, have a duty to care not to overload them,” says Jones.
– On the other hand, they usually bring matters to an end. So I think you have to know yourself and be able to take care of yourself – he concludes.
The article is a translation from the American edition of Business Insider.
