40-hour week burnout risk

Recent research undertaken in Spain has concluded that those who work more than 40 hours a week are six times more likely to “burn out” than those who work fewer than 35 hours.

The research was quoted on the Worksmart website, published by the Trades Union Congress (TUC), with the aim of helping working people get the best out of the world of work.

Worksmart says the new research from the Aragon Institute of Health Sciences in Spain shows that long hours increases the risk of “burnout syndrome”, defined as long-term exhaustion, a loss of interest in work, and high levels of irritability.

Spanish researcher Jesus Montero-Marin was quoted as saying, “This condition is increasing in prevalence in Spain and poses a serious problem to society because of the economic losses it causes and its consequences for health.”

The Worksmart website points out that the Working Time Regulations 1998 put a normal ceiling on the working week of 48 hours, as well as giving workers other rights, such as paid breaks and holiday.

However, Worksmart acknowledges that the rules are “complicated”. For example, the 48 hours is taken as an average over several weeks and there are different rules for different kinds of jobs.

As well as “frenetic” burnout, the Spanish researchers identified “under-challenged” burnout syndrome, associated with monotonous tasks, and those who were “worn out” after too long in the same job, frustrated by lack of recognition.

The research said that employees with more than 16 years of service in the same place of work are 5 times more likely to develop this “worn out” syndrome than those who have worked fewer than four years at the same company.

Article from British Safety Council