New research from Ceridian*, one of the largest providers of human resources services in the world, has revealed that more than half of UK employees are working unpaid overtime, of these, one in five are putting in an additional 25 hours unpaid a week, equivalent to an extra three days. As well as working additional hours, nearly half (49%) had taken either a pay cut or pay freeze during the recession.
Jeremy Campbell, Director of HRO at Ceridian said: ìThe uncertainty of the current climate, workplace change and personal financial pressures combine to make a stressful situation for employees. Providing support services, such as employee assistance programmes and stress management workshops, gives staff access to the resources they need to proactively manage the pressures they may be facing both personally and at work.
ìIn these challenging times, many businesses simply cannot afford increased sickness absence or a decrease in motivation and engagement. This is where a good absence management system comes into force, helping to highlight early warning signs and trigger the support mechanisms that encourage a return to work.î
HR Directors will be heartened to hear that 71% of employees are planning to stay with their employees when the upturn comes but a significant proportion of these (29%) were only doing so because of lack of opportunity elsewhere. Of those planning to move 35% cited lack of opportunities as the main reason.
ìOpportunities to progress are still key to employee engagement and forward thinking HR Directors recognise this. Our survey showed that where companies could not afford pay rises 25% of employees identified ëexciting workí as an area where they have been compensated for their extra hours. Organisations are benefiting from the extra discretionary effort these employees are willing to invest to meet these challenges and workforces will be developing key skills ready for the upturn.î says Jeremy Campbell, Director of HRO at Ceridian.
Longer hours and increase in stress is also having a negative effect on behaviour in the workplace. Of those planning to move jobs in the upturn 16 % blame the behaviour of their line manager during the recession and 9% cited bullying.
Post upturn 69% of employees believe they should be rewarded for their loyalty with 65% of those wanting financial reward. However a significant number preferred the security of a pay rise (39%) over that of a cash bonus (26%).
Stability and security were also key themes for the upturn with 40% citing job security as their number one priority, which is more than twice as many as those citing a pay rise (18%).
ìIt seems that employers who can offer security and stability, rather than the possibility of bonuses, will be in the best position to attract and retain key talent when the upturn arrives,î says Jeremy Campbell, Director of HRO at Ceridian.
*Employee Attitudes in the Credit Crunch surveyed more than 1000 employees across all UK business sectors and is available from www.ceridian.co.uk
One in five working an extra three days a week
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