Do 'Work Martyrs' Actually Get More Done? The Hunger for a Healthy Work-Life Balance

February 13, 2021 - 7 min read

Brianna Hansen

The average US workweek is 41 hours, however, more than 30% of American workers work 45 or more hours a week, compared with Germany (18%) and France (4%). The fact is, many Americans wear this as a badge of honor, which has led to a new term for the common office workaholic: "work martyrs”.

You know, the ones who can't eat a meal without scrolling through their email and humblebrag about how many hours they worked last night or over the weekend. Even though we all intuitively understand the need for downtime in this digitally connected, always-on world, why do so many people still equate hours worked with increased productivity? Does working longer hours mean you're actually more productive?

Signs all point to no. Research that attempts to quantify the relationship between hours worked and productivity found that employee productivity drops after a 50-hour work week, and falls off a cliff after 55 hours—so much so that someone who puts in 70 hours produces nothing more with those extra 15 hours.

So where's the balance? How do you reach this utopian state of working hard while maintaining positivity and happiness?

Productivity is About Quality Not Quantity

In order to answer these questions, we have to start by looking at the bigger problem: our quantity-over-quality-focused culture. The graph below from the OECD shows the relationship between productivity (GDP per hour worked) and annual working hours:

Most Americans consider a 37.5-hour work week short, and respond to days of low productivity by multitasking. In fact, the US is actually tied with France for most productive citizens — where France has 30 days of paid vacation, paid parental leave, and after-hours email is outlawed. In the US, 1 in 4 working Americans has no access to paid time off (PTO) of any kind, and those who do only have about 10 to 14 days on average.

According to Brigid Schulte, author of the book Overwhelmed, Americans have virtually no leisure time, and research has shown that when they do, they will often choose to work. She says, "Some say they work on weekends, evenings, and vacations because they’re anxious they’ll be seen as expendable if they don’t. Some work because they dread seeing their overstuffed email inboxes upon their return. And some work because it’s become a habit, an identity like a second skin, and they’ve lost the ability to imagine doing anything else."

And yet, despite working so much more than other countries, US productivity reached an all-time low in the middle of 2016. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that productivity growth averaged 0.4% per year over the past five years—this growth being 82% below the average of the previous 60 years! Long story short: we're working ever-increasing hours and are still massively unproductive. What's the problem?

The data makes it pretty clear: working more does not equate to working productively. In fact, research has found that people who continuously work more than 60 hours a week make more mistakes. Stanford economist John Pencavel conducted research on individuals who work long hours and discovered something he calls a “productivity cliff”—the longer we work beyond 40 hours a week, the steeper the decline in productivity. We burn out, become exhausted, make more mistakes, and take two to three times as long to get anything done. In fact, more than half of US workers are a victim to burnout. Gallup reports that about 70% of all US workers are either disengaged at work or actively hate their jobs.

"People who continuously work more than 60 hrs/week (aka #WorkMartyrs) make more mistakes" @wrike

So how can we actually be more productive rather than just trying to look more productive by overworking and actually slowing our productivity down?

Stop Multitasking

Ready for this myth-buster? Multitasking isn't real. It's simply switching from one task to another without completing anything. In fact, multitasking can actually lead to decreased productivity.

According to Schulte, "The brain can only pay attention to one thing at a time. And every time you switch tasks, you deplete your energy, willpower, and hit decision fatigue." A study at King’s College, London University found that multitasking lowers our intelligence to the state of being stoned—we actually lose 10 IQ points. So next time you brag about how you're an excellent multitasker, think twice and try one thing at a time!

Remember Positivity Comes Before Productivity

Shawn Achor, author of Before Happiness, Co-Founder & CEO of GoodThink, and TED Talk speaker, famously argues that in the workplace, happiness leads to success—not the other way around.

"The human brain at positive has an unfair advantage over that same brain at negative or neutral," says Achor, who strives to show companies the science behind fueling productivity with happiness and positivity in the workplace. "When we are positive, we show a 31% increase in productivity, 40% increased likelihood to get a promotion, 23% fewer stress-related symptoms, 37% higher sales — the list goes on and on. The greatest competitive advantage in the modern economy is a positive and engaged workforce."

"The greatest competitive advantage in the modern economy is a positive & engaged workforce” via @shawnachor @wrike

So what are some positivity best practices we can start instilling in our workplace? Achor recommends practicing gratitude everyday. For example, writing a positive note or email thanking someone raises your social connection score. "Researchers have found that finding three new things you’re grateful for every day can move people dramatically on the optimism scale and raise their social connection score," says Achor. He also claims that just 15 minutes of cardio a day, or 30 minutes three times a week, is the equivalent to taking an antidepressant.

Take Back Your "Leisure Time"

Stop looking at vacations as a sign of slacking off or lowering your career advancement opportunities. Research shows that the exact opposite is true: taking a vacation can actually increase your likelihood of earning a raise or promotion. So what's stopping us?

In her book, Schulte discusses the importance of leisure time and how we need to preserve this "timeless flow space" in a world where everyone is constantly interrupted and fragmented. She describes this space as one where we become completely absorbed in the task at hand (something we genuinely love doing) and are ultimately at peace. During this time, we can reach optimal happiness as long as we don't get interrupted. According to Schulte, our three biggest roadblocks to reaching this flow state are: work, mindset, and the "Culture of Busyness". In an environment where the hardest workers are perceived as the most successful, where a work-first attitude is rewarded, and where being busy results in bragging rights, it's difficult to motivate ourselves to prioritize leisure time, and to stop ruminating on what work can I do from home.

In a study conducted by Shawn Achor and Michelle Gielan from the Institute for Applied Positive, it was concluded that 94% of vacations result in higher levels of happiness and energy if you:

plan a month in advance and notify your coworkers in advance
go outside your city
meet with a local host or other knowledgeable guide at the location
have the travel details set before going

"Smart vacations lead to greater happiness and energy at work, and therefore, greater productivity, intelligence and resilience," says Achor.

The Happiness Movement Starts With You

Now you know the (not-so) secrets to successful productivity. We can spew data and statistics all day long, but in the end, it's up to managers and employees to change the conversation around happiness in the workplace. It's never too late to improve your productivity and happiness!

Check out Shawn Achor's TED Talk, The Happy Secret to Better Work:

Brianna Hansen

Brianna is a former Content Marketing Manager of Wrike. When she’s not writing about collaboration and team building games, you’ll find her in the kitchen testing out the latest recipes, sharing her favorite wine with friends, or playing with her two cats.

#Company Culture #Thought Leadership #Wellbeing at Work

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What is Employee Wellbeing and Why Does it Matter?

Employee wellbeing is a critical component of a healthy working environment and organization. Companies that promote wellbeing make it easier for employees to manage stress levels while also maintaining a positive and productive environment. Wellbeing can refer to mental and physical health, as well as more complex things such as satisfaction and engagement levels. In this article, we’ll explain what employee wellbeing is, why it matters, and how to create the best employee wellbeing program in a workplace using a project management solution. What is employee wellbeing? Employee wellbeing is defined as the overall mental, physical, emotional, and economic health of your employees. It’s influenced by various factors such as their relationships with co-workers, the decisions they make, and the tools and resources they have access to. Hours, pay, and workplace safety also have a significant impact on employee wellbeing. While it will vary from person to person, employee wellbeing should average out to a level that allows for a productive and healthy workplace. Outside factors contribute to employee wellbeing too. Stress around issues such as housing, health, and family all play a role in performance at work. However, employers can acknowledge they have no control over what takes place after hours while still taking responsibility for what they can do for their employees. According to a recent employee wellbeing study by Alight, less than half of U.S. employees have a positive perception of their overall wellbeing. Overall, there has been a major decline in employee wellbeing from early 2020 to mid-2021, even as employees return to work at the office again. Why does wellbeing at work matter? It is the employers' duty to provide their workers with the necessary support and care for their physical and mental health. Despite this, many organizations still don't have a dedicated wellbeing strategy. A wellbeing strategy can help employees feel valued and supported at work. It can also improve employee engagement and motivate teams companywide to reach their goals. One recent historical example of why it’s important to improve employee wellbeing comes from the United States film and entertainment industry. The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), which represents a wide range of technicians responsible for film and television production behind the scenes, recently considered a strike to improve employee wellbeing. Issues such as inhumane hours, inadequate rest, and inadequate pay are affecting all areas of employee health. In fact, many are now coming forward to explain how a lack of care and action towards improved employee wellbeing is affecting them on a personal level. Clearly, employee wellbeing is a fundamental building block of all organizations. Even if your company is smaller or in a different field, you may still find that there are plenty of meaningful ways to improve the quality of life for everyone involved. Being proactive about employee wellbeing now can improve or even save lives in the future. The advantages of good employee health and wellbeing When employees feel well, they tend to perform better. This increases productivity and helps employees develop better habits. Studies show that workers are 13% more productive when happy. Habits such as healthy and consistent work/life balance policies from management are a good example of how employers can help increase joy. These habits also ensure business continuity, even during busy seasons. Good employee health and wellbeing also leads to higher employee morale. When employees have their needs met, they feel valued and competent as a result. As one corporate wellness program points out, “it’s also about preventing lost time due to absenteeism, stress, and illness. These issues cost many companies far more money than traditional healthcare costs”. Although great employee morale is, in itself, the biggest benefit for companies, preventing foreseeable problems like these is also important. If you’re recruiting or plan to recruit in the next year, creating a plan to improve employee wellbeing can help you attract and retain skilled individuals. For example, 38% of Gen Z job seekers consider a healthy working environment to be their number one factor in choosing a company to work for. Benefits such as increased sick days and mental health services go a long way toward enticing top talent from this generation to apply. Even if you’re not hiring now, an employee wellbeing program can also help you avoid losing talented candidates now. Many companies have learned firsthand that treating employees well is the key to creating a great customer experience. Simply having a happy and satisfied staff has been shown to improve the way clients feel too. As HR Zone points out, this is especially important in the wake of the pandemic, as many customer-facing employees have dealt with extreme emotions and demands from people experiencing prolonged stress from the pandemic. That, combined with safety measures making it difficult to engage in activities most people use to destress, makes it even more important for employers to take responsibility in this area. The challenges of wellness initiatives in the workplace One of the biggest challenges of wellness initiatives in the workplace is setting and measuring goals. Getting a clear idea of what your current employee wellbeing looks like can be tricky. Not only is it subjective, but some employees may not feel comfortable responding truthfully in case their complaints come back to haunt them. For that reason, even anonymous surveys may not give the whole picture. Many traditional incentive programs rely on metrics such as blood pressure and body mass index, but these are often inaccurate too. As a result, many companies are now asking their workers to provide their health information in exchange for insurance plans that are higher-cost. This practice could put older workers and part-time employees at financial risk if they are unable to make up the difference in the cost at their current wage. Another issue is execution. Some companies may not be able to provide the programs that they promised to offer. Or if they do take action, the resources and policies they endorse may not be widely used. Having a constant eye on employee reactions to the program and obtaining feedback can help solve this problem. How to create an effective employee wellbeing program with Wrike Truthfully, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to designing an employee wellbeing strategy. That’s because it should be based on the unique needs and characteristics of your organization. However, if you create a more robust framework to promote mental health, you’ll not only improve the culture surrounding employee wellbeing, but you’ll also improve the lives of everyone involved. That’s where an employee wellbeing program comes in. An effective employee wellbeing program begins with strong communication. To have strong communication, you’ll need to introduce formal project management software for implementing your program. Doing so will show senior leaders and employees that everyone understands the seriousness of workplace health and wellbeing. It’s also a great way to test out, measure, and get feedback on initiatives. Next, you’ll need a project management solution to bring employee wellbeing from theoretical to practical. Even the best intentions fall short when action steps aren’t assigned and carried out. Use Wrike to create a project timeline or to separate employee wellbeing initiatives into quarterly goals. Then, add project phases for program implementation. After, you can begin adding specific tasks such as announcing the program, creating documents explaining the benefits, and facilitating feedback from current employees. Include individual deadlines for each task and assign them to specific managers to ensure that someone is accountable. Wrike can also help you manage and organize goal-related data. Ask for employee feedback and reports from managers directly on the platform. Use @mentions to grab the attention of individuals who need to turn in related paperwork and let them know what’s missing. Once those are collected, you can also securely store documents and manage permission settings within the platform. If your employee wellbeing program is already underway, Wrike can help you manage common health issues employees face at one point or another. For example, if you're noticing signs of employee burnout, Wrike's Workload Charts will help management see and evaluate individual tasks across all projects on one screen to avoid the detrimental effects of assignment overload. Ready to improve employee health and wellbeing? Sign up for a free trial and get started today.

Leadership 10 min read

How to Manage and Support Colleagues Through Bereavement at Work

It’s the situation that nobody ever wants to be in, but take a minute and imagine yourself there: You’ve just lost a loved one. You’re suddenly burdened with shock and grief. You’re overwhelmed by the logistics of honoring final wishes, filling out paperwork, and planning arrangements. In between it all, you manage to find a minute to let your employer know that you’ll be out of office for a bit. Like anyone would, you hope that the message is met with nothing but unwavering support and encouragement. Don’t worry about anything work-related – we have it all covered. After all, the last thing you want is for your phone to keep buzzing, your inbox to fill up with requests and meeting invites, and to feel anxious about the security of your position and your income. Here’s the truth: As a manager or an employer, you’re likely to encounter a grieving employee at some point. It’s a sad reality, but it is crucial to be prepared to support them through the loss of a loved one and guide them through bereavement at work (without adding any stress to their already-full plates). What is bereavement leave? Bereavement leave is a specific type of leave that employees can take following the death of a loved one. Employees might use bereavement leave for various reasons, including making funeral arrangements, attending a funeral, taking care of family members, and working through the grieving process. Many large companies and organizations document official bereavement leave policies outlining the support available to a bereaved employee. A bereavement leave policy outlines and establishes guidelines for providing paid time off to employees for absences related to the death of a loved one. Policies and procedures vary across organizations, but many employers generally offer this benefit to their employees to some degree. Some smaller companies may choose to work with employees on a case-by-case basis and address these situations as they arise in place of a more formal policy. No matter your organization’s size or what your bereavement leave looks like, grief can be challenging to navigate. Conversations around death and loss can be tough to have with your employees, but supporting your employees through these situations is non-negotiable. In this guide, we’ve rounded up some helpful ways to discuss bereavement leave, how to support a grieving employee, and why communication should always remain front and center when times get tough. What should you do when an employee tells you about a death? An employee’s manager and the HR team are key resources when an employee experiences the loss of a loved one. After an employee loses someone close to them, they are likely to reach out to their manager, the HR team, or both to make them aware of what they’re dealing with. Whether you’re the employee’s manager or a member of HR, the first thing you should do when an employee notifies you of the death of a loved one is offer your genuine support and sympathy. Don’t jump straight into the details of how that employee’s workload will get covered or time off logistics. Instead, focus on letting the employee know that you’re thinking about them and that work should be the last thing on their minds right now (much like what happened in this viral LinkedIn post). Once you’ve responded with sympathy, you should then share what bereavement leave options are available. Managers should loop in the appropriate HR team members to explain and discuss the bereavement leave policy and other need-to-know information for taking that important time off. How do you support a colleague dealing with grief at work? Supporting a grieving employee can be difficult. Many of us do our best to leave personal matters at the door at work, but grief is different and usually strikes beyond our control. Acknowledge that grief is a powerful emotion and equip yourself with the skills and actions necessary to support a grieving colleague as best you can. Here are a few ways you can show your support. Understand your company bereavement leave entitlement You need to understand your company’s bereavement leave entitlement to communicate it to your colleagues. Many companies offer bereavement leave as a benefit to employees, but the conditions and guidelines around the leave may vary. As with other company policies, your bereavement leave entitlement should be stated clearly in your employee handbook for you and your employees to reference. Your company bereavement leave entitlement should cover the following: Who qualifies for bereavement leave? Is this benefit offered to all employees? What qualifies for bereavement leave? What types of family members are covered under the policy? For example, do you only provide bereavement leave for the loss of an immediate family member? How many days off are granted under the bereavement leave policy? Is the bereavement time off paid or unpaid? How do employees request bereavement leave? Is there any documentation needed for recordkeeping? Know what to say to a coworker when someone dies If you’ve ever struggled to come up with the right words to say to someone who is grieving, you aren’t alone. Knowing what to say to a coworker when someone they love passes can be challenging for you and your grieving colleague. Keep it simple and show your support. If you’re unsure how to get the wording just right, try one of these simple but sympathetic phrases: “I’m sorry for your loss.” “I’m thinking of you.” “How can I support you through this?” Prioritize sympathy (and avoid relating to emotions) The death of a loved one is one of the top five most stressful life events, and your employee will need your support throughout the grieving process. It’s essential to show up with a level of sympathy for your coworker and be empathetic, especially when they talk to you about how they are feeling after the loss. Express your condolences when the time is right, and try to avoid offering advice unless asked for it. When expressing your condolences, don’t compare your colleague’s loss to one of your own. While statements like “I know how you feel” might seem supportive, a grieving person may not find it helpful or supportive. Instead, when in doubt, be a solid active listener and offer support through empathy. Openly discuss time off work for a death One of the best ways to show your support for a bereaved colleague is to communicate openly with them about taking time off for the death of a loved one. Through these conversations, you can identify how much time an employee might need off and if your company’s bereavement leave entitlement will cover that. Some employees may choose to disclose the soon-to-be passing of a loved one before it happens if it’s expected. In any case, having open, continued conversations around taking time off – whether under a bereavement leave policy or through unpaid leave – can help your employees feel supported and take a weight off their shoulders as they handle personal matters in the aftermath of the loss. Provide ongoing bereavement support Grief and bereavement are heavy, and for an employee working through a recent loss, grief is an ongoing process. No two people grieve the same way or at the same rate, so it’s essential to provide ongoing bereavement support to your employees to help them navigate the days ahead. Some larger organizations offer an employee assistance program (EAP) as part of their benefits plan. EAPs generally offer confidential services and assessments, short-term counseling, and other mental health services to employees. These types of programs are provided by employers at no cost to employees and can be a great resource for delivering ongoing bereavement support. Know if your organization offers an EAP as part of its benefits so you can speak to this as a potential option of continuing grief support. If your company doesn’t offer an EAP, you can talk to your employee about what they need from you as part of the bereavement process. Offer resources where possible to help take the burden of research off them. Work together to have a flexible working environment Sometimes, an employee may need more time off than what’s covered by your bereavement leave policy. You can talk through various other time off options, including unpaid leave and the use of PTO in some cases. However, what happens once an employee is ready to return to work and may need some accommodations to ease the transition? You can work with your employees and put their stress at ease by offering a flexible working environment. Consider allowing your employee to work part-time, adjust their hours, or work remotely for an extended period if they usually work in the office. In many cases, most office jobs don’t require work to be done within a specific time frame except for scheduled meetings, which means you might have some wiggle room to offer to your employee. You can provide flexibility in various ways, so it’s important to talk to your employee about their specific needs. With a flexible schedule, your employee can continue to manage personal responsibilities while transitioning back to work without added stress. Why is it beneficial to work with a colleague through their bereavement? No matter how long an employee has been with your company, you’ve likely invested a significant amount of time and money recruiting, hiring, training, and onboarding them. A grieving colleague may even be one of the best performers within your organization. There’s a large cost involved when it comes to losing your best talent, or any talent within your company for that matter. Not to mention that it wouldn’t make you or your company feel good to lose an employee during their loss and time of grief. It’s beneficial to work with a colleague through their bereavement so you can take turnover costs out of the picture and not cause any more stress for the bereaved. Beyond having to pay to replace a grieving employee, creating a supportive environment will increase feelings of trust and can reinforce and improve your company culture. You can build trust with your bereaved employee by hearing their concerns, working with their schedule, and being there for them as they navigate life after loss. At the same time, when other employees see how you take care of those walking through personal loss, you’re revealing a deep layer of your company culture and boosting morale. When you display a level of compassion for a grieving colleague, you send the message that you care about the well-being and mental health of your employees. How to organize bereavement leave policies with Wrike Wrike is a project management and communications tool that you can use to organize your bereavement leave policies. Using Wrike to help manage bereavement leave, you can: Keep communication at the forefront by centralizing all conversations, files, approvals, and more Use templates, like the Actionable Meeting Notes Template, to help your employees smoothly transition back to work when they’re ready Quickly and easily redistribute tasks to help coordinate coverage while an employee is out on bereavement leave Are you ready to simplify your bereavement leave practices and support your employees in the best way possible? Get started with a free trial of Wrike today.

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Do 'Work Martyrs' Actually Get More Done? The Hunger for a Healthy Work-Life Balance