Excessive working hours are becoming the cause of death for hundreds of thousands of people each year, according to a report by the World Health Organization (WHO). The study, the first of its kind, was conducted in collaboration with the International Labor Organization (ILO).
According to the report, in 2016, 745,000 people worldwide died from strokes and heart attacks related to stressful work schedules. The most alarming situation was found in Southeast Asia (where India is the largest country) and the Western Pacific region (which includes China in the WHO classification).
According to the study, the number of such deaths has increased by 29% since 2000. Three-quarters of those who die are middle-aged and older men. In some cases, death occurred after retirement, but research has shown that irreversible health problems occurred during their working years and were associated with stress and fatigue.
The study does not cover the period of the coronavirus pandemic, but WHO experts are confident that it will only worsen the situation.
Data from 194 countries from 2000 to 2016.
488 million people worked more than 55 hours a week in 2016.
754,194 deaths are associated with a long work day.
42% increase in risk of death from cardiovascular disease due to long working hours (from 2000 to 2016).
35% increased risk of stroke for those who work more than 55 hours per week.
The increased risk of dying from ischemic heart disease for those who work more than 55 hours per week is 17%.
The data collected showed that working 55 hours or more per week increases the risk of stroke by 35% and the risk of heart attack by 17% compared to a 35-40 hour work week.
At the same time, the number of people who have to work more than the standard 40-hour week is growing and now represents about 9% of the world’s population, according to the WHO.
In April, a post by a 45-year-old user named Jonathan Frostik appeared on the social networking site LinkedIn and quickly spread to other platforms. In his post, Frostik described the first warning sign that told him he was working too hard.
He is a software manager at HSBC Bank. One Sunday, as he sat at his desk at home preparing for the week ahead, he suddenly felt a tightness in his chest and a pulsation in his throat and arm. He found it hard to breathe. “I went into the bedroom to lie down. My wife called for an ambulance,” Frostyk said. It was a heart attack.
After recovering, Jonathan decided to completely rethink his approach to work. “I no longer spend entire days at Zoom,” he says. Frostik’s story resonated with hundreds of social media users. Many of them also shared how busy they are at work and how it affects their health.
And while Frostik made it clear that he does not blame his employer for his excessive hours, many disagree. “Companies squeeze the maximum out of people without thinking about their well-being,” wrote one user. At HSBC Bank, they said they wished Frostik a speedy recovery. “We understand the importance of the health and well-being of our employees and maintaining the right balance between work and personal life,” the bank writes. “In recent years, we have made even greater efforts in this direction. The broad public response [to Jonathan Frostik’s situation] has shown that people are concerned, and we urge everyone to make their health and well-being a priority.”
WHO experts say that under pandemic conditions, those who have not lost their jobs have begun to work even more. This is because people have switched to working from home, where they can sit in front of a computer for longer than usual and have nowhere else to go.
“Working from home gives employers even more time.” We explain quickly, simply, and clearly what happened, why it matters, and what will happen next. Episodes The end of the story: Podcast Advertising “We have data confirming that during national lockdowns, the average number of working days increased by 10%,” said WHO official Frank Pega. The organization’s report also shows that long working hours are the cause of one-third of all work-related illnesses.
According to the researchers, there are two reasons for this result. The first is the body’s reaction to stress, and the second is that a person who spends too much time at work starts smoking more, consuming unhealthy food, exercising less, getting insufficient sleep, and resorting to consuming more alcohol as a form of relaxation.
According to the UK Office for National Statistics, British people working from home during the pandemic are working an average of six unpaid hours per week. Those who continue to go to work are “donating” 3.6 hours per week to their employers.
WHO urges employers to pay close attention to the new report when assessing occupational health risks for their workers. According to Frank Pega of the World Health Organization (WHO), limiting working hours can even be beneficial to employers, as it can increase staff efficiency in a shorter period of time.