MILWAUKEE — A new study from the World Health Organization shows the deadly effects of working longer hours.
The research published in the Environment International journal estimated there were 745,000 deaths from stroke and ischemic heart disease in 2016, which would be a near 30% jump since 2000.
“This is even before the barrage of the communication tools we use every day,” said Heather Turner Loth of Eppstein Uhen Architects. “What we do at EUA is look at how does the physical state play a role in allowing employees to get done what they need to get done in a day. Burnout, working longer hours can be attributed to things like lack of focus, or lack of knowledge sharing.”
Despite the study not including findings during the pandemic, being unable to disconnect while working from home is reason for concern.
“It’s really trying to work internally with managers helping teams prioritize what needs to be worked on and when,” Turner Loth said. “Then, helping employees establish those boundaries with one another to protect our work life.”
The WHO recommended that governments create policies that ban mandatory overtime and ensure maximum limits on working time.
You can find more information on work-life balance at the Wellness Council of Wisconsin website.