Does it seem as if there aren''t enough hours in the day to accomplish everything you need to do? If so, then you are probably finding yourself spending more time at work. And you''re not alone.
A recent poll of senior managers found that on average, they work 54 hours each week. More than a third said their time spent on the job has increased compared to five years ago.
The survey, developed by Robert Half International Inc., asked senior level managers how many hours they work per week and how does it compare to five years ago? Some thirty-six percent of those polled said they work more hours now than they did five years ago, while 39 percent said they work the same hours. One-quarter of the respondents said they work fewer hours.
"Overtime isn''t uncommon among executives, particularly in today''s business environment where maintaining productivity with fewer resources is the norm," said Max Messmer, chairman and CEO of Robert Half International and author of "Motivating Employees For Dummies." But Messmer cautions that managers who continually work extended hours are at risk of burnout, which can impact their performance over the long term.
"Executives should regularly evaluate workloads, looking for signs of excessive overtime among employees at all levels," Messmer advises. "Shifting priorities, reassigning tasks or bringing in temporary workers during peak business cycles can often alleviate some of the burden on full-time staff."
by Sandy Smith ([email protected])