Remember: We’re no good to anyone if we don’t survive this
overworked workforce during the recession
I thought about something a colleague said to me a few weeks ago…Clearly sick; coughing, sneezing, etc. I advised this co-worker to “go home!” But this dedicated employee said, “No way!” I was reminded that no one can afford to take any time off. Job security isn’t a guarantee right now. Staff count is lower, the amount of work stays the same. If you aren’t at work, you could be next out the door! Point taken.
As businesses slash jobs and people struggle with unemployment, those who are fortunate enough to stay employed are grappling with fear, frustration and, of course, more work. Employees are faced with doing more with less.
If you’re like me, you probably spend between eight to twelve hours a day at work. As layoffs and furloughs take place we are all trying to figure out how the remaining employees are going to do all the work that everybody was doing to begin with.
Deadlines don’t change. Just because an employee is cut or doesn’t come to work on a furlough day doesn’t mean that someone else picks up the slack. It just means that there will be more work to do before they leave or more work “piled up” when they return from their furlough days.
This kind of stress could be a killer…literally…In Japan, workaholism was so common in the ’80s that workers sometimes dropped dead at their desks from “karoshi” (death by overwork).
As the late author of “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff — At Work,” Richard Carlson,said, “Being Dead Is Bad for Business.”
If you’ve dodged layoffs or gotten furloughed instead. So far, so good. Turn that stress and extra work into an opportunity to gain some new work experiences but remember to take care of yourself, be mindful of your personal health and your personal life.
You’re no good to anyone if you’re stressed, sick — or worse…
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