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50% of Workers Bring Jobs Home

Personal lives suffer for rich, educated

By Kevin Spak, Newser Staff

Posted Jan 13, 2010 3:45 PM CST

(Newser) – Nearly half of all American workers bring their work home, with many saying that it affects their family, social or leisure lives. Those worst affected are professionals, the wealthy, and the highly educated, reports Live Science. It’s “what we refer to as ‘the stress of higher status,’” says the lead researcher. While high status undoubtedly has benefits, “a downside is the greater likelihood of work interfering with personal life.”

The survey, which included 1,800 workers, also found that people with college degrees tended to report greater disruptions in their home lives, as did those who worked more than 50 hours a week. And professionals reported more interference than any other class of worker.

Half of America is taking its work home with it. (Shutterstock)

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 11 comments

cornelison

Jan 14, 2010 12:55 PM CST

Even employees in lower tiered jobs take work home & they aren't paid for it.

RufusT.Firefly

Jan 14, 2010 12:44 PM CST

I think it's people who think they can "game" the system. They think "If my staff 'competition' works only the required hours, I can work more hours, off the clock, get more done and crush them thus ensuring a steady job for myself." Unfortunately, once you start down that slippery slope, your supervisors believe you're getting all this work done in the allotted work time and will expect you to keep it up or worse, exceed their expectations.

npkimmey

Jan 14, 2010 12:02 PM CST

I forget where they tried that, but I heard it worked very well. My brother sort of works like that, only his hours are more hectic, but he has three days off a week. Of course, thanks to the economy, he's had to get a part time job to fill in those three days.

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50% of Workers Bring Jobs Home

Personal lives suffer for rich, educated

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work • stress • professional • status

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Job Loss Anxiety Hurts More Than No Job at All

Smoking, hypertension worse than unemployment fear

11:45am Tuesday the Most Stressful Time of Week

Move over Monday

Long Work Hours Weaken Mental Skills

Putting in 55 or more hours per week hurts memory, reasoning

It's a Stressful Day—Have You Tried Shouting?

Survey ranks today as most trying of the year

CEOs Get Paid Big Bucks to Sit in Meetings, Eat Lunch

Study finds they spend a third of their time in meetings

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Personal lives suffer for rich, educated

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

work • stress • professional • status

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Job Loss Anxiety Hurts More Than No Job at All

Smoking, hypertension worse than unemployment fear

11:45am Tuesday the Most Stressful Time of Week

Move over Monday

Long Work Hours Weaken Mental Skills

Putting in 55 or more hours per week hurts memory, reasoning

It's a Stressful Day—Have You Tried Shouting?

Survey ranks today as most trying of the year

CEOs Get Paid Big Bucks to Sit in Meetings, Eat Lunch

Study finds they spend a third of their time in meetings

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Newser By Users

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What is Newser?