The federal overtime rule has been put on hold, and employers are waiting to see whether the DOL will effectively appeal the injunction imposed by the U.S. District Court in Texas. However, it’s worth your while to consider what kinds of problems the rule sought to resolve and where today’s workforce stands on certain issues.
Today’s Workplace Issues with Overtime
With businesses using texting and emails, the line between work and home life continues to blur. Many workers don’t consider the time they spend on texts or emails outside of work as hours working off-the-clock. A Harris Poll conducted in 2016 showed that 63% workers would work-off-the-clock even if doing so was against company policy.
Here is what survey done by The Workforce Institute revealed:
An overwhelming 81 percent of U.S. salaried employees report they conduct work outside of their standard work hours — often more than once a week.
Why Do Employees Work Off-the-Clock?
Reasons given include urgent deadlines and heavier-than-usual workloads. One-third of those surveyed said they have more work than they can complete during regular work hours.
What Matters Most to Employees?
According to a worldwide survey conducted by Ernst & Young, workers struggle to manage work and family. They give underlying reasons for struggles, such as:
- Expenses have gone up but salaries haven’t
- Work responsibilities have increased
- Younger workers now have children, which means more responsibilities at home
- The lack of opportunity to advance
- Excessive overtime hours
- Work environments that don’t encourage teamwork
- Employers that don’t allow flexible work schedules
In fact, lack of flexible work schedules rank near the top as reasons to quit one job and take on another, surpassed only by competitive pay and benefits.
Desired Changes in the Work Environment
Balancing home life with work matters significantly because top desirable workplace changes included:
- Paid parental leave onsite or subsidized childcare
- Telecommuting one or two days a week
- Relocating closer to family
- The ability to shut off emails and calls when needed
While workers want more pay, and certainly pay for overtime, many also simply want more time to spend away from work with their families.
Stephen Hans & Associates works with business owners to help them deal with employment and labor issues.