Overwork Culture and its Impact on Asia
Malaysia is among the top overworked cities in the world. Workers here clock have a maximum working hours of 45-hours per week and only enjoy up to 16 days worth of annual leave, depending on the number of years they have been with the company. In contrast, Australia has an average of 33-hours and about a month of annual leave. Other Asian counterparts, such as Singapore, Japan, Korea, and China, have also been known to propagate a culture of overworking their personnel.
It is well documented that Asian countries have heavily adopted and accepted a culture of overworking. There are various reasons for this trend, most of which can be divided into legal, cultural, and historical sources. In this article, we explore why Asian cities have this culture of overworking, its dangers, and why it must be abolished.
An Overworked Asian Workforce
In 2022, three of the five most overworked cities in the world are from Asia, while eight of the Top 10 cities for work-life balance are located in Europe. This begs the question, why is the difference in work culture so stark?
This mentality of working hard has been deep-rooted in the minds of Asian employees as many believe that accumulating more work hours equates to a good indication of being hard working. Notably, they shy away from leaving the workplace before their superiors and are afraid to reject the extra work assigned to them.
As is, the line between work and rest is further blurred with the introduction and deployment of work-from-home options. Now they face a new issue with this remote working setup – many working from home are prone to put in overtime due to several key factors. This, among other reasons, served as a catalyst for employees to quit their jobs and seek more fulfilling work experiences and better work-life balance.
What are the Dangers of Overworking?
In Japan, the specific term – karoshi – came about to be used as a label for employees who experience death by overwork. Neighbouring countries – Korea and China – also coined similar terms to describe this concerning trend.
The real danger of an overworked culture is when employees do not recognise the symptoms of burnout. Affected employees experience physical and mental health issues, such as prolonged insomnia, poor appetite, depression, and are even prone to developing suicidal thoughts.
Here are some key signs of being burned out:
1. Having trouble switching your mind off from work
If you find yourself having a difficult time taking your mind off work even after working hours, it may be a sign that you are burned out. The inability to disengage may lead to higher stress levels and prevent you from getting quality rest.
2. Feeling disconnected from your family and friends
Spending more hours at work diminishes the amount of time you can give your family and friends. Yet, when there is an opportunity to spend time socialising, you find yourself distant and disconnected.
3. Overwhelmed with anxiety and panic
A sense of anxiety overwhelms you when thinking about work. This includes feeling nervous before the start of the work week and being reluctant to bring yourself to the workplace when the time comes.
Overworking puts employees and organisations at risk. As is, the World Health Organisation estimated that 400,000 people died from stroke and another 350,000 people had passed due to heart disease. One of the primary causes – needing to put in 55 work hours or more per week.
4. How to Help Employees Avoid Overworking?
As more countries focus on the welfare of employees, new laws and regulations have been put in place to reduce the number of overtime hours. Notably, employers must also monitor their workforce to ensure they are not being overworked or experiencing burnout.
Some companies have started to organise more team-bonding activities and send care packages to their employees to improve working conditions. Employers must now encourage employees to take their annual leave and plan proper breaks from work to refresh and recharge themselves.
Monitoring mental health is crucial for employees as they know themselves best. Many employees with too much work are afraid of voicing their concerns due to how they feel fearful of offending their superiors. This is especially true for Asia, where the culture of hierarchy within a company makes it an uphill task to get employees to speak up about their concerns. This inevitably leads to a toxic workplace that impairs the performance of overworked employees.
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