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Is Overworking Harming Your Business?
 It
is well known that small business owners
tend to work harder than most, but could you
potentially be damaging your business
It is well known that
small business owners tend to work harder
than most, but could you potentially be
damaging your business by working so much?
A new survey of 600 SME owners and senior
managers has shown that a third work more
than 48 hours a week, with some working a
shocking 80-100 hours a week. While this
helps get work finished, the risk to the
business could seriously outweigh the
benefits.
"The results of this survey are shocking,”
said Peter Mooney, of Employment Law
Advisory Services (ELAS), the company which
commissioned the research.
“We advise business owners daily of the
risks associated with long hours, not only
breaching the Working Time Regulations, but
also of the dangers to the health and safety
of both themselves and their employees.
"Signing an opt out to enable staff to work
more than 48 hours a week is one thing, but
to work such long hours routinely has a
negative effect. Apart from lower morale,
employees and owner managers suffer higher
degrees of stress, which in turn leads to
more time off work.”
In industries with heavy machinery or
transport, the results of tiredness or
stress could be huge; with accidents being
potentially fatal.
You are responsible for the health of your
employees; so if you are tired and forget a
safety task, cause an accident, or fail to
spot a hazard, you are likely to be held
liable in court. By working such long hours,
your employees may also feel obliged to do
so; this could also leave you responsible if
they end up ill or cause accidents.
Find out more about
Employment and Personal
Development issues
in our portal here..
by working so much?
A new survey of 600 SME owners and senior
managers has shown that a third work more
than 48 hours a week, with some working a
shocking 80-100 hours a week. While this
helps get work finished, the risk to the
business could seriously outweigh the
benefits.
"The results of this survey are shocking,”
said Peter Mooney, of Employment Law
Advisory Services (ELAS), the company which
commissioned the research.
“We advise business owners daily of the
risks associated with long hours, not only
breaching the Working Time Regulations, but
also of the dangers to the health and safety
of both themselves and their employees.
"Signing an opt out to enable staff to work
more than 48 hours a week is one thing, but
to work such long hours routinely has a
negative effect. Apart from lower morale,
employees and owner managers suffer higher
degrees of stress, which in turn leads to
more time off work.”
In industries with heavy machinery or
transport, the results of tiredness or
stress could be huge; with accidents being
potentially fatal.
You are responsible for the health of your
employees; so if you are tired and forget a
safety task, cause an accident, or fail to
spot a hazard, you are likely to be held
liable in court. By working such long hours,
your employees may also feel obliged to do
so; this could also leave you responsible if
they end up ill or cause accidents.
Find out more about
Employment and Personal Development
issues in our portal here..
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