UK
workers’ social and family lives are being severely dented by work fatigue,
with many feeling too exhausted to do basic activities after work, according to
new research.
More
than half of the 500 office and industrial workers polled by the Pertemps recruitment agency
claimed to be too tired to go for a drink with friends after work, while two in
five said they were unable to go the gym or take exercise because they were so
shattered.
The
most common reasons identified for this fatigue were stress (49 per cent) and
long working hours (34 per cent).
Janet
McGlaughlin, a director at Pertemps, said stress was
something that needed to be managed by staff and management.
“Workers
can play a part by ensuring they take short, regular breaks and don’t put
unnecessary pressure on themselves by taking on more work than they can
handle,” she said.
“Bosses,
meanwhile, should make sure they identify and make an effort to help stressed
out workers."
Other
findings:
–
20 per cent were regularly too tired to play with the children.
–
23 per cent claimed they were too exhausted to have sex with their partner
– 21 per cent said were too tired to watch
television or read a book
–
Nearly one in eight claim to have been too shattered even to prepare and eat an
evening meal.
Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance
Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday