Employees Overworking During Third Lockdown

Working from home has its benefits, but recent research highlights significant drawbacks. As the UK endures its third national lockdown, HR teams must address the risks of overtime and employee burnout.

Increased Working Hours When Homeworking

Data from office supplier Furniture at Work reveals:

• 52% of UK workers are doing more hours per week at home than their contracted time.
• 47% report starting work earlier each morning.
• 49% say they work later into the evening more often than in the office.

Those adding extra hours average 5 hours and 54 minutes per week, equating to 40.9 additional days annually. This trend is mirrored in other surveys, such as Employees Continue Overworking During Third Lockdown.

The Rising Risk of Burnout

Sophie Forrest, founder and MD of ForrestHR, warns of a “timebomb of mental and physical health problems” if extended hours become the norm. She explains that:

“Not only mental burnout from exhaustion and lack of variety, as well as from being stuck in the same four walls all the time, but also physically, from the very real harm we can cause ourselves being glued to computer screens all day.”

While short-term emergency measures can boost productivity, sustained overworking threatens long-term wellbeing. For a deeper look at how staff flag potential burnout, see this HR Magazine analysis.

Sustainable Hybrid Working and HR’s Proactive Role

As vaccination efforts progress, a hybrid home/office model will likely persist. HR professionals should:

• Conduct a culture audit to prevent ad-hoc overtime habits from becoming permanent.
• Encourage proper breaks, especially daily outdoor exercise to combat screen fatigue.
• Promote policies that support physical and mental health, boosting long-term productivity.

Forrest emphasises: “Encouraging staff to use their lunch breaks for daily outside exercise is key in avoiding burnout. Getting fresh air and a change of environment helps employees return with more energy, clarity, and resilience.”

About the Study

The survey polled 2,000 office workers who have been homeworking throughout the pandemic, underscoring the urgent need for HR teams to address overworking and burnout risks in the ongoing lockdown.