Changing attitudes to work hours across generations
Now this latest set of findings is interesting, because for well over a decade now, Australians have regularly taken out top slot in the ‘we work harder than any other westernised country’ rankings. Which puzzles a lot of the rest of the world who think that we/they all spend our lives getting skin cancer at the beach.
So right in the middle of the GFC, there are not-so-subtle shifts occurring, most noticiably along demographic fault-lines:
Gen Y work least hours and SME owners work the most – but survey shows we’re all working less – http://bit.ly/clFJcB
Not employing any Gen Y workers right now, I can’t add in my own anecdotal feedback on their supposed unwillingness to pull the kind of insane hours others in some industries and countries consider normal. I look back and shudder at some of the hours I’ve put in over the years on consultancy projects and deadlines.
The work-life balance equation is headed into a new era perhaps, but this survey still confirms what those of us who’ve struck out for self-employment or SME businesses already know – we’re still putting in substantial hours in our businesses and that hasn’t changed and probably won’t in the foreseeable future. It’s up to us individually to structure in balance, exercise, health, sanity, deadlines and what we’re chasing on the work and income front.
