‘We’re burning out’ claim EU professionals

By Martin Banks

Date: 27/11/03

PROFESSIONAL and managerial staff in the EU work such long hours they constantly risk suffering "burn out", according to a new survey.

It found that between 73% and 95% of those surveyed thought their workload was "heavy" or "very excessive".

Other key findings included:

• Managers work an average of 46 to 55 hours per week
• up to 50% are expected to be contactable outside normal working hours
• most do not get paid for working overtime, and
• the majority would prefer time off rather than more overtime pay

More than 10,000 people from six member states - Finland, France, Italy, Portugal, Sweden and the UK - took part in the two-year study by Eurocadres, a Brussels-based association which represents five million professionals and middle managers throughout Europe.

Of those surveyed, managers in the UK work the longest (an average 47.1 hours a week), with Finland the lowest (44.6).

Finnish managers spend the most time travelling to and from work (5.8 hours a week) and are required to spend almost five hours a week outside the usual workplace, the highest of the six.

Michel Rousselot, president of Eurocadres, said: "While accepting this was not a precise scientific study it is sufficiently accurate to give an interesting snapshot of the situation.

"The key finding is that many managers feel they are working such long hours that they are near to burn out. Burned out professionals are of no advantage to anyone - themselves, their company or their employees."

Report of a two-year study by Eurocadres, the Council of European professional and managerial staff.

http://www.eurocadres.org/en/index.cfm?target=/en/default.cfm http://www.eurocadres.org/en/index.cfm?target=/en/default.cfm

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