MARC CHOQUETTE
Online Content Manager
As our generation takes the helm of the working world away from the Baby Boomers, we will inherit a job landscape different from when our parents were just out of college. But studies show the state of the American work force in the 21st century is troublesome. Many signs point to the fact that we may be working too much, especially outside the office.
As we become more of a technological and less industrial society, so goes the standard 9 to 5 shift. Blackberrys, iPhones and wireless Internet ensure that even when out of the office, one cannot escape work. Thirty-three percent of workers still check into work while they are supposedly on vacation, says a study by Careerbuilder.com.
The same study also reports that workers in the United States have the least amount of vacation time of not only every other developed nation today, but in the history of modern, developed societies. Despite the prosperity that exists for most Americans, they are still workaholics. Differing opinions on this issue question whether this is a societal problem or a personal issue.
One would think that since we are such a prosperous society, we would more of an opportunity to enjoy life and not consider work to be such a burden.
But the capitalistic bug has bitten many Americans. No matter how much we make, or how comfortably we live, it is never enough. It has been drilled into the heads of many that people must always strive to make more money and work harder. These have always been considered admirable traits, but when taken to the extreme, these attitudes can lead to dangerous levels of stress.
As the saying goes, all work and no play make Jack a dull boy. Now it gives him job burnout as well. The Careerbuilder.com study shows both the physical and mental effects of burnout. Half of the workers surveyed reported they were under a “great deal of stress” on the job. This “great deal” of stress indicates that one has entered the realm of “job burnout.”
One way to gauge work addiction is to look elsewhere in the world. Many of us who have traveled abroad know that the attitudes of Europeans toward work are much different than ours. Whether it’s two-hour extended lunches, or longer vacation time, it is clear that many European countries, especially Spain, France and Italy, value their free time much more than Americans do. In addition, chronic problems plaguing the United States like obesity and stress are not as prevalent in nearly every European nation. Coincidence? Probably not.
The problem is that Americans do not have much of a choice with regard to our work ethic. Many workers cannot shut off the computer and the phone when outside the office without putting their job in jeopardy. With such a competitive work environment in America, most would consider this risky behavior. Such a relaxed attitude toward work could be hard to come by in such a cut-throat capitalistic society, where someone else is lined up for your job if you are deemed not hard enough of a worker.
As technology continues to dull the distinctions between the work and home environments, extra attention to the balance between the two needs to be examined. With most families needing both parents working each day to make ends meet, it takes a lot of time away from other priorities away from the office.
This balance is one of the foremost challenges people face when entering an intense work environment. Too much work and not enough free time will prove both physically and mentally draining, eventually leading to poor performance in the workplace and adverse effects to one’s health.
Yet too much life and not enough work will probably ensure that you get fired, even though you may be in tip-top physical and mental shape. Add in responsibilities at home such as raising children and this balance becomes even more precarious.
There is no question that our workaholic problem is one that exists on a societal, as opposed to an individual, level. But since it would be ludicrous and impossible to overhaul an entire society by wrestling hours away from employers and encouraging longer vacations, the paramount concern turns to the individual and their ability to deal with stress on their own.
09-13-2007