Long working hours for men are back

Men are over working dangerously again as a result of what has been dubbed 'the return of the long hours culture'.

According to the TUC, 3.3 million people across the UK are working more than 48 hours a week this year. That's an increase of 180,000 compared to last year - and most of the new long hour workers are men.

The analysis of official statistics included in the new TUC report - The Return of the Long Hours Culture - also found that the number of people working long hours increased at a faster rate over the last year than the decline in excessive working between 1998 and 2006.

According to the analysis, 85% of new long hours workers are male. 'The gender imbalance is quite extraordinary,' said MHF CEO Peter Baker. 'Long hours is a major men's health issue that is not covered by law in the way that other workplace risks such as exposure to hazardous substances and noise etc. Working long hours also limits men's ability to use health services which is why the MHF is supporting more flexible GP opening hours.' 

The TUC report argues that the recent increase in hours is the result of the challenging economic climate, which has made employers more reluctant to recruit new staff and instead work existing employees harder.

Since its implementation in 1998, the European Union's Working Time Directive (WTD) has helped to reduce excessive long hours, although the UK's opt-out has meant that this progress, in the TUC's view, has been too slow.

Opt-out continues

Last month the European Union decided to continue to allow opt-outs but has placed a cap of a cap of an average of 60 hours for those who have opted out. It also sets new conditions on the use of the opt-out and requires that the opt-out be renewed each year.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: 'After slow but steady progress over the last decade, long hours working is making its way back into Britain's workplaces. Employees across the UK already work the longest hours in Western Europe and the recent increase will mean lower productivity, more stress and less time to have a life outside the office with friends and family.'

The most over-worked industries are mining (31% of employees work over 48 hours a week), construction (22%), agriculture (20%)transport (20%), financial (16%), property (15%), manufacturing (15%) and education (14%). The biggest increase over the last year has been in financial intermediation.

Long hours - even voluntarily - can affect your health. The Health and Safety Executive says: There is sufficient evidence for us to be concerned about the potentially negative effects of working long hours on physical health. The strongest evidence probably concerns the links with cardiovascular disorder.'

Professor Cary Cooper, a stress expert at Lancaster University Management School, says that consistently long hours, over 45 a week every week, will damage health, both physically and psychologically.

• Download the full TUC report.
• Do you work long hours? If so why? Because you want to or because you have to? And even if you want to are you aware of the possible effects on your health?