Right Management Survey Reports Workers Put in Longer Hours than Five Years Ago

Leaders Advised to Continuously Sense-Check Employee Engagement to Inspire and Motivate their People to Achieve Business Outcomes

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Right Management

Sep 24, 2013, 02:31 ET

MILWAUKEE, Sept. 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Employees are putting in longer hours than five years ago, according to a poll by Right Management, the talent and career management experts within ManpowerGroup. Nearly four out of five surveyed workers said their organization's employees spend more time on the job since the recession began in 2008. As many as 67% said they are spending "a great deal" more hours at work.

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Do employees in your organization work longer hours than five years ago?

Yes, a great deal

67%

Yes, somewhat              

10%

Not really

23%

Longer hours without a focus on engagement and motivation run the risk of driving disengagement. Employee engagement has been a longstanding focus for both HR and senior management. With streamlined operations, continued fiscal belt tightening, and a workforce that is disgruntled and overly stressed, engagement is receiving a heightened focus. Leaders are recognizing that in the Human Age, talent is the only source of sustainable competitive advantage.

"Leaders need to have courageous conversations with their employees to ensure better alignment between the work their people are doing and the company's overall strategic objectives," advised Matt Norquist, General Manager of Right Management's northeast region.

There are times when deadlines or projects command longer hours, observed Norquist. "But leaders need to connect the intensity of workloads with dialogue that aligns the work with individual employees' ambitions, and the organizations' broader strategic objectives".

Recent polls by Right Management have identified the growing pressure on workers today. The data shows they rarely leave their desk for lunch. They respond to emails from the boss at all hours. They are not taking all their vacation time. And when others are laid off, the work they did must be shared by the remaining employees.

The online poll of 325 employees was conducted between Aug. 16 and Sept. 15.

About Right Management

Right Management is the global leader in talent and career management workforce solutions. As the workforce consulting experts within ManpowerGroup, the firm designs and delivers solutions to align talent strategy with business strategy. Expertise spans Talent Assessment, Leader Development, Organizational Effectiveness, Employee Engagement, and Workforce Transition and Outplacement. With offices in over 50 countries, Right Management partners with companies of all sizes – including more than 80% of the Fortune 500 – to help grow and engage their talent, increase productivity and optimize business performance.

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About ManpowerGroup
ManpowerGroup™ (NYSE: MAN) is the world leader in innovative workforce solutions that ensure the talent sustainability of the world's workforce for the good of companies, communities, countries, and individuals themselves. Specializing in solutions that help organizations achieve business agility and workforce flexibility, ManpowerGroup leverages its 65 years of world of work expertise to create the work models, design the people practices and access the talent sources its clients need for the future. From staffing, recruitment, workforce consulting, outsourcing and career management to assessment, training and development, ManpowerGroup delivers the talent to drive the innovation and productivity of organizations in a world where talentism is the dominant economic system. Every day, ManpowerGroup connects more than 630,000 people to work and builds their experience and employability through its relationships with 400,000 clients across 80 countries and territories. ManpowerGroup's suite of solutions is offered through ManpowerGroup™ Solutions, Manpower®, Experis™ and Right Management®. ManpowerGroup was named one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for the third consecutive year in 2013, confirming our position as the most trusted brand in the industry. See how ManpowerGroup makes powering the world of work humanly possible at www.manpowergroup.com. Follow ManpowerGroup Chairman and CEO Jeff Joerres on Twitter: Twitter.com/manpowergroupjj

SOURCE Right Management