Search Here

Due to rising prices for services and commodities, most people work long hours per week just to meet what they financially need. However, a recent study found that working long hours per week is literally killing people. It suggests limiting work hours to 39-hours per week so workers, both men and women, can maintain a healthy work-home balance.

The study, conducted by researchers from the Australia National University Research School of Population Health, found that international standard of 48-hours per week workhour limit is literally killing people. Working long hours is increasing the risk of both men and women to health risks but more so for women who had to do additional domestic or care work at home.

In addition, the international standard of 48-hour work week evolved from a mostly male work composition. The study examined how workhour limits affect the health of the workforce where there are as more men as there are women and where there are gender differences when it comes to workload in and out of the job.

The researchers analyzed data collected from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey. There was a total of 8,000 Australian adults taking part in the survey ranging from ages 24-65 years old.

Published in the journal, Social Science & Medicine, the study was able to determine that in order for workers of both gender to lead a healthy life, a workhour limit of 39-hours per week should be implemented instead of the current 40-hour per week workhour limit.

Furthermore, the workhour limit for women, when considering for unpaid work or domestic and care work at home, should be 34-hours per week. On the other hand, the healthy work limit for men can go up to 47-hours per week as most men spend less time doing domestic and care work at home. It is only when similar constraints and contexts are applied can narrow gender gaps and have a healthy life with a 48-hour work week.

The researchers add that changes should be implemented in order to create a healthy work-home balance particularly for the case of women workers. The study also encourages to repel the widespread belief that in order for people to do a good job, they should work longer hours.