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Employee Burnout Rostering
Blog Post

Does working more produce less?

min read · December 27, 2017 ·

When managing a team of hourly workers, asking staff to work additional hours is expected when things get busy. You may be short-staffed unexpectedly, so you have to ask a staff member to step up and pull some of the weight. 


Your employees may feel the pressure to say yes every time, and before you know it, you have employees who pull ten-hour shifts more than once throughout the week. 


It's common for employees to believe that they're showing their managers their loyalty and commitment to the company by putting in overtime. But there is evidence to suggest that more than 40 hours workweeks are harmful to a company and its employees. 


Here are a few reasons to keep employees to a workweek of no more than forty hours. 


Productivity

The IGA Research says: "Productivity drops immediately upon starting overtime and continues to drop until, at approximately eight 60-hour weeks, the total work done is the same as what they accomplish eight 40-hour weeks." 


Asking staff to work overtime is virtually useless. Fatigue sets beyond a 40-hour week, and productivity will drop, impacting your bottom line.


Errors

The more hours staff work, the more tired they become, leading to increased errors. These mistakes can be dangerous in transport, manufacturing, security and healthcare. 


Asking employees to do excessive overtime impacts a staff member's mental health and can seriously jeopardise their physical health depending on the job. 


Company Morale

Employees scheduled for excessive overtime will experience a decline in work morale and will go through the minimal steps needed. Low employee morale can spread through the company and have a cause-and-effect reaction to a feeling of being underappreciated and overworked. 


Customer Service

If your employees are customer-facing, tired staff can be a disaster. As much as they try, having a bright and cheerful demeanour is impossible when you're sleep-deprived and run down.


Turnover

If overtime expectations go on too long, loyal employees will often feel disillusioned with their work-life balance and look elsewhere for employment. In addition, they will be pressured by family and friends to find a job with more reasonable exceptions, enabling them to have a healthy and balanced life.


Illness

Extreme stress and exhaustion can often lead to otherwise healthy people getting sick. Having people commonly sick is a massive risk for businesses with a culture of extreme hours. 


Suddenly you'll find business disruption due to employee sickness on top of paying out sick leave entitlements as the doctor's certificates start rolling in.


Culture

Creating a company culture that encourages overtime and expects employees to be okay with it is toxic. Giving your employees the right work-life balance and only asking for favours when necessary will lead to better company culture. 


There are exceptions to every rule, of course, but research and common sense indicate that working longer hours is not a good idea for most individuals. Not only will it negatively affect employees' personal lives, but it can also impact your company's performance.


So for the sake of your employees' well-being and your company's efficiency, it's best to limit working hours. One of the best ways to do this is to invest in an intelligent cloud rostering solution like RosterElf, giving you perspective on each week's workload and identifying talent gaps early to avoid being short-staffed.


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Important Notice

The information contained in this article is general in nature and you should consider whether the information is appropriate to your needs. Legal and other matters referred to in this article are of a general nature only and are based on RosterElf's interpretation of laws existing at the time and should not be relied on in place of professional advice.

RosterElf is not responsible for the content of any site owned by a third party that may be linked to this article and no warranty is made by us concerning the suitability, accuracy or timeliness of the content of any site that may be linked to this article.

RosterElf disclaims all liability (except for any liability which by law cannot be excluded) for any error, inaccuracy, or omission from the information contained in this article and any loss or damage suffered by any person directly or indirectly through relying on this information.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Rostering and Payroll Software Questions? We have the answers.

  • Workforce Management (WFM) software comprises digital tools to optimise labour efficiency. These tools often include cloud and app-based applications that manage employee leave, availability, scheduling/rostering, time and attendance, award interpretation, and payroll.

  • Workforce Management (WFM) optimises employee productivity through processes and software solutions. Key functions include labour cost forecasting, cloud-based rostering and scheduling, digital time and attendance tracking, and efficient payroll management, ensuring compliance and accuracy.

  • WFM is crucial for maintaining an optimal labour resource flow and enhancing profitability and efficiency. A robust WFM system can reduce labour costs without compromising business performance, ultimately improving profits.

  • Good workforce management uses advanced WFM software to automate and optimise daily labour tasks. This approach helps businesses save time and money while boosting profitability.

  • RosterElf's integration with MYOB seamlessly synchronises employee data, timesheets, and payroll information between systems.

  • The integration caters to businesses of all sizes, from small startups to large enterprises.

  • The integration is designed to handle the large number of employees, making it suitable for businesses of all sizes.

  • Common methods of time theft include buddy punching, where one employee clocks in for another, taking extended breaks, and falsifying timesheets.

  • Preventing time theft involves implementing strict time-tracking policies, using digital time and attendance systems, and fostering a culture of accountability and transparency among employees.

  • Rosters should be updated regularly, typically weekly or bi-weekly, to reflect changes in employee availability, business needs, and unforeseen circumstances.

  • The most effective way to communicate roster changes is through a cloud-based rostering tool that automatically notifies employees of updates via mobile apps or email.

  • The Fair Work Act is the key legislation governing employment laws in Australia. It sets out employers' and employees' rights and obligations, including pay, leave, and work conditions.

  • The Fair Work Ombudsman oversees Fair Work Compliance. This agency ensures Australian workplaces comply with national workplace laws, providing guidance and investigating breaches.

  • The National Employment Standards (NES) are a set of 11 minimum employment entitlements that must be provided to all employees. They include annual leave, maximum weekly hours, and notice of termination.

  • With RosterElf, you only pay for active staff or rostered staff depending on the plan selected. RosterElf Pro is charged per active employee per month. You can publish unlimited schedules, and staff can feature on any number of rosters/shifts with no additional costs. The charge for the month will simply be the number of active staff multiplied by the monthly plan rate (see pricing table for details). For a full pricing breakdown, click here.

  • If restrictions prevent you from operating your business, our pricing structure ensures that you can continue to keep your staff on RosterElf. Just get in touch, and one of our friendly team members can hibernate your account until things pick up. We believe in charging only for what you use and ensuring we’re always adding value to your business.

  • Based on hundreds of online reviews at Google and the Xero App Store, RosterElf is considered the best rostering software in Australia. It is known for its ease of use, affordability, and robust features.

  • RosterElf is consistently rated as the best rostering software Australia offers due to its outstanding customer reviews, user-friendly platform, and excellent support. Check our Google and Xero reviews to see what customers say.

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